Our Founder
About Us
Dr. T. Samuel Joseph (Shyaam)
During my early years in the missionary quarters at Guindy, the person who shaped my heart the most was Mrs. Chandler, an English missionary lady. Her compassion toward a leprosy-affected beggar—whom she cleaned and fed every single day, even in stormy weather—taught me what true kindness and service meant. That moment stayed with me forever and became the foundation of everything I would later build.
Explore Your Musical Path
I began learning the violin at the age of 14, and after joining Madras Christian College, Tambaram, I became the leader of the college orchestra while completing my B.A. degree. These experiences paved the way for my career in film music.
I was soon invited to play violin in films, which eventually led to opportunities as a music director, composing for over 350 films. My mentor, the legendary M. S. Viswanathan, encouraged me to deepen my classical roots. This brought me under the tutelage of Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, one of India’s greatest violin maestros.
Sri Lalgudi entrusted me with composing the Introduction and Finale for his iconic Thillana collection “Dance of Sound,” released by HMV in 1978 — an honour I cherish deeply.
A Calling to Revive Tamil Christian Classical Music
That Question Struck a Chord
Through years of research, I discovered timeless treasures: the lyrical works of Vedhanayagam Sastriar, Abraham Pandithar, and many other composers whose songs had filled Tamil churches for centuries but were slowly fading away.
This revival journey led to the creation of the notation book “Yesu Pugazh Paaduvoam” in 2003, containing both Western and Carnatic notations to help young learners rediscover these forgotten hymns.
Birth of the Cultural Academies
A moment on Arcot Road changed my path again — traffic paused to let three blind people cross, and I wondered what I had done to help those who lived with such challenges.
This thought led to the creation of the Christian Cultural Academy, and after 25 years of service, the Chennai Cultural Academy Charitable Trust was founded in 2011. These platforms helped promote Tamil Christian culture and support many in need.
