A lens on the soul: A tribute to visionary writer MT Vasudevan Nair

I still remember the first time I met MT Vasudevan Nair in 1990, who was the editor of the group then Mathrubhumi occasionally, in his office during my college days. He was reading a book when I entered his room. He raised his head a little, and his eyes looked into mine, a special festival that I call ‘MT special’ (as if he was looking for something true and authentic). MT was widely known as a man of few words, but his eyes spoke volumes.

As an aspiring photographer and artist, I have always admired his work, the way he weaves animated stories with real-life characters. When I showed him a few of my pictures, he chose one from the cover page of Mathrubhumi Weekly. It was a big dream for every creative person – writers, photographers, and graphic artists – to showcase their work in Mathrubhumi Weekly.

When I revealed my ‘hidden agenda’, he advised me to study at FTII Pune and immediately wrote a reference letter to the then director, Shaji N Karun. After three years of pursuing admission in FTII, I came back to MT sir and asked for a photographer job. Mathrubhumi. His immediate response was not to sail in two boats with one purpose. When I got into cinema, he advised me against trying journalism, as both require deep involvement.

I persisted in looking for a job. My main goal was to work under fiction for a few years before venturing into films. Although he didn’t say anything at the time, two months later, I was appointed as the magazine’s first photographer. Later, I found out that he had asked the managing director, Veerendrakumar, to take me as his photographer.

It was a great experience working under MT sir. He was awarded the Jnanpith while I was working there, and I had the opportunity to accompany him to his village, Koodallur, Palakkad district. He introduced me to everyone as “my photographer.” On one occasion, I had the opportunity to take photographs alone with the famous communist leader EMS Nammboodiripad when he visited Kozhikode.

I exposed three rolls of color film, as I found a quiet and beautiful place without distraction. For a newspaper like Mathrubhumithree volumes of film exposed by a novice were considered good and expensive. I was asked to explain to the senior photographer why I did that. The matter reached MT sir. He called me to his room and told me the story: “A monkey found a typewriter and started playing with it, as if writing.” After many attempts, it produced one word.” It was hard to control my laughter, but MT sir advised me that the photo should be a rare piece by capturing an important moment.

Photographic memory

Later, he was convinced of the EMS photos I had taken and informed me, saying, “great photos.” All those EMS images were used in Mathrubhumi books many times. Working under MT sir for two years was like getting 20 years of experience. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge and a photographic memory that seemed to retain every picture he had seen.

He used to tell me about the artisans, their crafts, and how they work. For me, he was a striker, a mentor, a protector, and more than that – like a father. What impressed me the most was his love for photographers, children and nature. He didn’t put it in his sleeve, but it was there, hidden underneath.

He had a unique way of seeing the world that we cannot find in others. He was selective about the company he kept, and I felt honored to be among the few he chose to bring into his inner circle. He didn’t suffer fools gladly and he didn’t have the patience to pretend. But if he found you worthy, he would open up, and you would be rewarded by watching his amazing mind.

After several years, I left Mathrubhumi and worked for different organizations. It was my dream to have a creative studio space in Chennai, and MT sir blessed us. When I revealed my desire to MT sir, he immediately agreed to visit my home in Chennai. It was like a dream come true, to have my mentor bless my place.

In 2019, when he arrived at the Chennai airport, I was waiting outside to welcome him. After seeing me from afar, he raised his hand to desire me, and he raised his hand until he reached me. This was a heart melting experience with MT sir. I had never seen him so happy before, and he made an unforgettable speech in my apartment, recalling our first meeting 30 years ago.

MT sir released my 20 years of visual documents Eye on the Marsh in the Pallikaranai wetlands, one of the largest wetlands in India that is disappearing due to urbanization, by giving Mr. Sashi Kumar, renowned journalist and chairman of Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) in front of renowned critic and photographer Sadanand Menon. singer Achuthan Koodallur.

As a photographer, I have been fortunate to work with him on many projects. Every time, I was struck by his attention to detail, love of storytelling, and unwavering dedication to his craft. He was a true seer of truth, a master.