The writer's mother Sakunthala Kanapathipillai (seated) and her former students who attended her book launching ceremony in May 2025. — Photos: RUBINI SIVAPATHASUNDRAM
My mother Sakunthala Kanapathipillai is a beacon of strength who has touched and transformed thousands of students’ lives.
A woman of remarkable calibre, she has worn multiple hats throughout her life. Firstly, she is a devoted mother to her three daughters and was also a loving and loyal wife to my late father, AS Sundram.
Amma, as we fondly call her, is a retired Tamil school teacher and has educated and motivated thousands of young minds in her 35 years of an illustrious teaching career.
Born in Kuantan and currently residing in Kuantan, Amma's life journey in education began in the year 1956 as a part time English teacher in a Tamil school in Mentakab and later in a private school in Bentong.
The writer says her mother (pic) is a woman with immense strength, discipline and determination, and she grew up watching her live a life of purpose, integrity and sacrifice.
Upon completing her training at the Teachers Training College, she continued her teaching mission with thundering enthusiasm in various Tamil schools in Raub and Kuantan.
Amma spent a good 26 years nurturing students at SRJK Tamil, Jalan Penjara, Kuantan before retiring in 1998. Amma is popularly known as Sundram (a nod to my late father) teacher among her students and has worked tirelessly in enriching and enhancing her students’ lives.
Amma’s unwavering dedication continues to inspire her former students, many of whom remain in touch, grateful for her guidance and encouragement to better their lives. A firm believer that education is the strongest weapon against poverty and ignorance, she was often the only person who believed in their potential and dignity.
The writer's mother Sakunthala Kanapathipillai (seated) and her former students who attended her book launching ceremony in May 2025. — Photos: RUBINI SIVAPATHASUNDRAM
Beyond teaching, mum is a gifted Tamil writer whose passion for literature inspired hundreds of articles, short stories, and poems published under the pseudonym Thulasi Sundram. I’ve always marvelled at her vast knowledge of Tamil culture and her powerful stories that champion women’s strength and empowerment.
Mum’s love for writing began in 1958, and in 1962 she won a national competition, receiving a coveted prize from Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, the late Tun Abdul Razak Datuk Hussein. The recognition spurred her to write prolifically, eventually publishing two acclaimed short story collections that enriched the Tamil literary community.
In 1998, when students of SRJK Tamil Jalan Penjara, Kuantan faced transport difficulties, Amma acted swiftly – publishing Pillai Nila (Crescent Moon). Proceeds amounting to RM63,000 from her book launch funded a school bus, a testament to her compassion, generosity and enduring dedication to education.
In May 2025, Amma at the age of 87, once again demonstrated her brilliance and published a memoir in Tamil chronicling her experiences during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. This book is entitled Azhiyaadha Suvadugal or The Everlasting Trails. Some 600 copies of the book were sold in two book launch events.
The first book launching ceremony was held on May 10, 2025 at the Malaysian Association of the Blind Hall, Kuala Lumpur and was attended by dignitaries, friends, fellow comrades of the Tamil Association of Writers and most importantly her beloved students.
The second event was held at the Kuantan Tamil School Hall on June 15, 2025. This memoir raised RM62,000 and the entire amount was donated to the Kuantan Sithi Vinayagar Temple Hall Building fund, once again highlighting Amma’s lifelong commitment towards society. Kuantan Sithi Vinayagar Temple Building is newly renovated at a cost of RM1.4mil.
This hall and the temple has been a cornerstone in preserving Hindu traditions and culture. The new state of the art building has a seating capacity of 400 and houses a stage and a dining hall.
Future plans for this hall will be to conduct tuition classes for needy students and coach them towards academic success besides having cultural activities, weddings and religious events.
Amma is a woman with immense strength, discipline and determination. I grew up watching her live a life of purpose, integrity and sacrifice – never indulging in gossip or idle chatter. Amma was either immersed in school work, reading or writing incessantly during her free time. A fierce guardian of Indian traditions, she instilled in us the value of hardwork, discipline and financial independence.
She not only enriched me with the importance of continuous learning and discipline, but also wisely instilled in me the art of investing, frugality, minimalism, and the powerful magic of compounding – a lesson in both finance and life.
Thank you Amma for the life you have given, the gift of values, principles and the legacy you have constructed. You are a trail blazer, an inspiration and a living legend.
