Writer Shaji
Writer Shaji also known as Shaaji is a writer on popular music in India in all its forms. His writings on music are from the perspective of an interested listener. His articles are the attempts to connect music with the incidents and emotions of our lives. When he writes about a well-known composer, singer or musician, it opens so many unknown faces of their music and lives. His writings are well appreciated by the connoisseurs of music as well as ordinary music listeners. He is writing in Tamil, English and Malayalam languages. His various articles have published by The Hindu, Times of India, India Today, AV Max, Ananda Vikatan, Uyirmmai, Puthiya Thalaimurai, Sunday Indian, Chandrika Weekly, Kalakaumudi, Malayalam Vaarika, Deepika etc. His articles in the series ‘Music Beyond Words’ were translated to Tamil by the modern Tamil writer Jeyamohan as ‘Sollil Adangaatha Isai'. Published in the prominent modern Tamil literary magazine Uyirmmai, this is one of the most popular columns in the recent Tamil serious literature. Another world famous modern Tamil writer S. Ramakrishnan too has translated many of Shaji’s articles to Tamil. His first book in Tamil 'Sollil Adangaatha Isai’ (Music Beyond Words) sold thousands of copies and became an instant hit. His second Tamil book was ‘Isaiyin Thanimai’ (The Music of Solitude) and his latest book in Tamil on music is ‘Isaiyin oLiyil’ (In the Light of Music). These books established Shaji as a well-known writer in the Modern Tamil writing. He writes directly in Tamil, as in English and Malayalam. His column named ‘Paattinappuram” (Beyond the Song), published in the Malayalam weekly Chandrika clearly stated that he is a Malayalam writer on music with substance. Shaji was born and brought up in Kattappana, Idukki District, Kerala near the Tamil Nadu border. He has worked with leading Indian and International Music Companies in various capacities such as Artistes & Repertoire Manager, Recording Manager, Marketing Manager and Music Consultant for over twenty years. He has been the Judge of Vijay TV Music Awards. He also has been the Judge of Sujatha Ilakkiya Viruthu, a Tamil literary award instituted in the name of the Tamil writer Sujatha. Creator of hundreds of advertisement films and ad campaigns, Shaji is working in advertising industry for many years now providing creatives, storylines, scripts, jingle lyrics and translations. He is also the Trustee in South India for the Salil Chowdhury Foundation of Music, which is formed in the memory of Salil Chowdhury, an Indian composer of popular music. Shaji lives in Chennai, South India with wife Jessy and daughter Geeti Salila.