About the Author

Dr. Perumal Pugazhendhi is a physical chemist, materials scientist, and author with more than four decades of experience in science, technology, and applied engineering. His research career has spanned electrochemistry, batteries, fuel cells, ionic liquids, advanced materials, and energy technologies. Throughout his career he has worked with scientific institutions and research organizations around the world, contributing to advances across these interdisciplinary fields.

Dr. Pugazhendhi is also a prolific author. His books range from technical reference works for engineers and students to popular science titles and scholarly studies of history and culture, written in both English and Tamil. He brings the same discipline to every project: clear explanation, careful attention to evidence, and respect for the reader's intelligence.

Although much of his professional life has been devoted to scientific research, he has always kept a deep love for the Tamil language, classical Tamil literature, archaeology, and the long history of Tamil civilization. The remarkable discoveries at Keezhadi changed how the world understands the ancient Tamil past. They revealed a literate, urban, trading society far older than many had imagined, and they inspired him to return to the Sangam-era classics with fresh curiosity.

The Singing Anklet grew from that inspiration. Dr. Pugazhendhi approaches Silappatikaram not only as a literary critic but as an inquisitive reader with a scientist's mindset. He asks what the story means and how we know what we know. His goal is to present the epic's events, characters, ideas, historical setting, and archaeological connections in language that young readers can understand and enjoy.

He believes the great questions at the heart of Silappatikaram belong to every generation. What is justice? What does it mean to tell the truth? How should power answer for its mistakes? With this book, he hopes to build a small bridge between the timeless voice of classical Tamil civilization and a new generation of readers around the world.

Dr. Pugazhendhi lives in the United States. He continues to write books that connect science, history, and culture, and to share the richness of Tamil heritage with readers everywhere.