Three streets in the Mylapore zone were formally re-named on February 18 morning and the new street signages were opened via video conference by chief minister M. K. Stalin.
De Monte Street in San Thome is now called M. S. Viswanathan Salai, in honour of the world-famous music composer-director M. S. Viswanathan who used to reside in a house at the top of this street, at the junction of San Thome High Road.
Family members of late MSV, as the music maestro was fondly called by friends and fans, and Mylapore MLA, Dha Velu, were present at the streetside while some family members were at the venue where the chief minister did the honours. A few MSV fans and well-wishers were also present at the street corner.
Also renamed today were two other streets – East Circular Road in Mandavelipakkam was renamed Sirkazhi Govindarajan Road, named after the late, well-known playback and Carnatic and devotional music vocalist,
and Norton Third Street as Tiruchi Loganathan Street, to honour the memory of a popular playback singer in the Tamil film world in the 1950s/60s.
Outside what used to be M S Vishwanathan’s residence, fans shared memories and their feelings on the honour of the day.
Said Vijaya Krishnan Rajagopalan, convener of Mellisai Mannar Fans Association, “This is too little and too late.” Shanthi Kumar, daughter of MSV said that the MSV family was moved by the honour. “That appa lives all over is proved once again,” she added.
V. Raghavendhar of Nadigar Thilagam Fans Association said he would have been more happy if San Thome High Road had been renamed after MSV. And musician V. R. Sekar, son of late music maestro Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan said that Mellisai Mannar ( as MSV was called), should be honoured with a Bharat Ratna award.
Local area councillors Revathi of ward 125 and Amirdha Varshini of ward 126 participated in the events.
In September 2025, 5th Trust Cross Street, Mandavelipakkam was renamed as S. V. Venkataraman Street, after Venkataraman, a stage artist and social worker and father of theatre-film artiste S. V. Shekar. This move attracted much opposition from a section of the community here.
– By Baskar Seshadri and Madhan Kumar
