M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy

M. R. Narayan Swamy is a renowned Indian journalist and author known for his multi-dimensional reporting—from politics to insurgencies. Best known for his definitive works on the LTTE, he brings depth to South Asian affairs and conflict journalism.

Tamil Nadu Thrown Into Political Turmoil as Governor Blocks Vijay’s Path

Tamil Nadu Thrown Into Political Turmoil as Governor Blocks Vijay’s Path

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Tamil Nadu was in a state of unexpected flux as superstar Vijay battled with the New Delhi-appointed governor to get a crucial invite to prove his legislative majority, with some political parties saying the drama was being orchestrated by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After leading his Tamilga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to stunning victories in 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, Vijay faced a sudden googly from Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who sa
May 2026 OP-ED
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
The Tamil Nadu Illusion: What Sri Lankan Tamils Must Understand

The Tamil Nadu Illusion: What Sri Lankan Tamils Must Understand

By M.R. Narayan Swamy This happened just days after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in May 1991. A prominent Tamil Nadu politician, a known vocal backer of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), desperately invited me to his government-provided house in Delhi. He badly wanted to know who had killed Gandhi at Siriperumbudur near Chennai. The Hindu newspaper had, until then, not scooped the infamous pictures of the killer team. When I reached his house, two young aide
May 2026 OP-ED
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
How a political novice devoured goliaths in Tamil Nadu

How a political novice devoured goliaths in Tamil Nadu

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Fatigue with Dravidian outfits, being sick and tired of corruption, anger over poor law and order, disgust with family control of parties, and a “let-us-try-out Vijay” sentiment were the most common denominators that delivered a stunning election verdict in Tamil Nadu, sinking political giants and bringing plenty of unknowns into the corridors of power. Interviews with dozens of residents, mostly in Chennai, revealed the extent of silent outrage against an established sys
JM Exclusive May 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
Superstar Vijay Shatters Dravidian Giants in Historic Tamil Nadu Election

Superstar Vijay Shatters Dravidian Giants in Historic Tamil Nadu Election

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Tamil movie superstar Vijay created history on Monday by leading his two-year-old TVK to be the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in its very first election, winning seats tantalizingly close to a half-way mark and burying six decades of Dravidian rule in one of India’s economic powerhouses. As counting of the millions of votes cast in the April 23 balloting continued across the state, election officials said the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) was set to fin
JM Exclusive May 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
Vijay Ends Six Decades of Dravidian Rule, Set to Become Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister

Vijay Ends Six Decades of Dravidian Rule, Set to Become Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister

By M.R. Narayan Swamy Popular Tamil film actor Vijay triggered a political tsunami in Tamil Nadu on Monday as his two-year-old TVK party was on its way to an unexpected but history-making victory in elections, burying six decades of Dravidian rule in one of India’s most economically developed states. The 51-year-old star pulled off a sensational performance as his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) appeared set to win more than 100 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, where a party or coal
May 2026
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
India-Sri Lanka Fishing Row Risks Dangerous New Escalation After Violent Sea Assault

India-Sri Lanka Fishing Row Risks Dangerous New Escalation After Violent Sea Assault

By M.R. Narayan Swamy “The fishermen issue is an unnecessary irritant that has been allowed to fester for too long,” says Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, a former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, hitting the nail on the head. A diplomat who has studied the dispute from close quarters, Sinha made the comment in a just-released book on India-Sri Lanka relations. Like many other Indians, Sinha is aghast that bottom trawlers from Tamil Nadu are causing enormous and lasting environmental destruction
April 2026 Guest Column
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
Black holes in India’s Sri Lanka Tamil policy

Black holes in India’s Sri Lanka Tamil policy

By M.R. Narayan Swamy When Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi prepared to fly to Colombo in July 1987, Tamil politicians and militants from Sri Lanka were invited to New Delhi to approve a proposed bilateral pact that sought to end Tamil separatism. Velupillai Prabhakaran, the founder leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and his team were put up in the five-star Hotel Ashok, no doubt because the Tigers were the most formidable force in the military arena, even if they were a
April 2026 Guest Column
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy
Blinded in War, a Former LTTE Fighter Now Guides Others in Sri Lanka’s North

Blinded in War, a Former LTTE Fighter Now Guides Others in Sri Lanka’s North

By M.R. Narayan Swamy At 37, Vijayalathan leads an active life that appears, in many ways, no different from that of others in Sri Lanka. But he is completely blind, the result of a severe injury he sustained as a Tamil Tiger guerrilla in the final stages of the war. Yet he stands as a rare example of someone who has overcome profound adversity and now helps lead a nongovernmental organization working to rebuild the lives of those affected by the separatist conflict that ended in 2009. “I don
April 2026 Exclusive
M.R. Narayan Swamy

M.R. Narayan Swamy