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{{Short description|Indian film historian}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox writer
| native_name = {{native name|ta|சுந்தரராஜ் தியடோர் பாஸ்கரன்}}
| image = Baskaran.JPG
| caption =
| pseudonym =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1940}}
| birth_place = [[Dharapuram]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = [[Film historian]], [[Author]], [[Civil Servant]]
| nationality = [[India]]n
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Madras Christian College]]
| period = 1976–present
| genre =
| subject = Cinema,Wildlife
| movement =
| notableworks = The Message Bearers<br />The Eye of the Serpent
| spouse = Thilaka Baskaran
| children =
| relatives =
| awards = [[National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema|Golden Lotus (Best Book on Cinema) Award]] for ''The Eye of the Serpent''
| signature =
| website =
| portaldisp =
| ethnicity =
| influences =
| influenced =
}}
{{Indian name|Theodore Baskaran|Sundararaj}}

'''Sundararaj Theodore Baskaran''' (born 1940) is an Indian [[History of film|film historian]] and wildlife conservationist.

==Early life and education==
Theodore Baskaran was born in [[Dharapuram]], [[Tamil Nadu]] in 1940. He completed his Intermediate at St.Johns College, [[Palayamkottai]] and obtained a BA (Hons) Degree in History from [[Madras Christian College]] in 1960.<ref name="A">{{cite web|title=Interview with Theodore Baskaran |url=http://www.kalachuvadu.com/issue-89/interview.asp|work=Kalachuvadu Magazine|date=May 2007}}</ref>

==Career==
Baskaran worked as Researcher in Tamil Nadu State Archives for two years. He joined the [[Indian Postal Service]] in 1964 as Divisional Superintendent at [[Trichy]]. He served as the "Special Officer For War Efforts" in [[Shillong]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]. He took study leave in 1974 to research Tamil film history on a fellowship from Council of Historical Research.<ref name="A" /> He eventually retired as the Chief Postmaster General of Tamil Nadu.<ref name = C>{{cite web|title=Verse and versatility |url=http://www.hindu.com/yw/2003/12/20/stories/2003122000240300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131081328/http://hindu.com/yw/2003/12/20/stories/2003122000240300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] | date=20 December 2003}}</ref>

Baskaran published his first article on film in 1972 about [[Chidananda Dasgupta]]'s documentary ''The Dance of Shiva''. Encouraged by his friend Charles A. Ryerson, he decided to do research about Tamil Cinema.<ref name="A" /> He joined a Film Appreciation course in 1974. He became a member of the Advisory Board of National Film Archives, Pune.<ref name="B">Muthukumaraswamy, p. 314-5</ref> In 1976 he joined the [[Calcutta Film Society]]. The same year, he presented his first research article titled ''Film Censorship as an Instrument of Political Control in British India'' in the Indian History Congress at the Aligarh. This and other articles formed the core of his first book ''The Message Bearers'' published in 1981. His second book ''The Eye of the Serpent'' (1996) won the [[National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema|Golden Lotus (Best Book on Cinema) Award]] in 1997. He has also written several books and articles on film history in Tamil. He was a Senior Associate in [[National Institute of Advanced Studies]], Bangalore. He has lectured on cinema in many universities including [[Princeton University]], The Australian National University and the [[University of Chicago]].<ref name="B" /> In 2000, he won the Ki Va Ja prize awarded by the ''Kamban Kazhagam''. He was a Hughes Visiting Scholar in the [[University of Michigan]] in 2001 and taught a course on Film Studies. He was a jury member at the 2003 [[National Film Awards]].<ref name="B" /> During 1998–2001, he was the Director of the [[Roja Muthiah Research Library (RMRL)|Roja Muthiah Research Library]].<ref name=D>{{cite web |title=An archive for Tamil studies |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1717/17170650.htm |work=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline Magazine]] |date=19 August 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125021544/http://hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1717/17170650.htm |archive-date=25 November 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He is a member of the library's Board of Trustees.<ref>[https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/southasia/rmrl_annual_report_2008-09.pdf Roja Muthiah Research Library Annual Report (2008-09)]</ref> He has also acted in a supporting role in the 2010 Tamil film ''[[Aval Peyar Thamizharasi]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/review-aval-peyar-tamilarasi/story-8L465soCG6zyOeKSrnq25L.html|title=Review: Aval Peyar Tamilarasi|last=Bhaskaran|first=Gautaman|date=2010-03-11|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|access-date=2017-05-10|language=en}}</ref>

Baskaran is a keen bird watcher and a naturalist. He is a former honorary wild life warden and the South India Representative of the [[International Primate Protection League]].<ref name =C /> He is a trustee of WWF-India. His collection of essays on nature and wild life conservation has been published as ''The Dance of the Sarus'' ([[Oxford University Press]]) in 1999. He edited a book of articles on nature titled "The Sprint of The Black Buck" ; Penguin (2009)

==Personal life==
He is married to Thilaka Baskaran and lives in [[Bangalore]].<ref name =A />

==Bibliography==

===Books in English===
* The Message Bearers: The nationalist politics and the entertainment media in South India, 1880–1945, Chennai: Cre-A (1981). Second edition by New Horizon Media.(2009)
* The Eye of the Serpent: An introduction to Tamil cinema, Chennai: East West Books (1996)
* The Dance of the Sarus: Essays of a Wandering Naturalist, Oxford University Press (1999)
* History through the Lens – Perspectives on South Indian Cinema, Hyderabad: Orient Blackswan (2009)
* Sivaji Ganesan: Profile of an Icon, Wisdom Tree, Delhi (2009)
* (ed.) The Sprint of the Black Buck, Penguin (2010)
* The Book of Indian Dogs, Aleph Book Company (2017)

===Books in Tamil===
* (ed.) ''Mazhaikalamum Kuyilosaiyum'', Kalachuvadu (2003)
* ''Em Thamizhar Seidha padam'', Uyirmmai Padippagam (2004)
* (ed.) ''Chitthiram Pesuthadi'', Kalachuvadu (2004)
* ''Tamil Cinemavin Mugangal'', Kanmani Veliyeedu (2004)
* ''Innum Pirakkadha Thalaimuraikkaga'',Uyirmmai Padippagam (2006)
* ''Thamarai Pootha Thadagam'',Uyirmmai Padippagam (2005)
* (trans.) ''Kaanurai Vengai'' (The way of the Tiger by [[K. Ullas Karanth]]), Kalachuvadu (2006)
* ''Vaanil Parakkum Pullelam'', Uyirmmai Padippagam (2012)
* ''Soppana Vaazhvil Magizhndhe'', Kalachuvadu (2014)

==Notes==
{{Reflist |2}}

==References==
* {{Citation
| last1 = Muthukumaraswamy
| first1 = M.D.
| last2 = Kaushal
| first2 = Molly
| title = Folklore, public sphere, and civil society
| publisher = National Folklore Support Centre(India)
| year = 2004
| isbn = 81-901481-4-1
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Xsrgg1Mel8UC
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baskaran, S. T.}}
[[Category:Madras Christian College alumni]]
[[Category:Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Tamil history]]
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Tiruppur district]]
[[Category:Indian film historians]]

S. Theodore Baskaran - Revision history

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