Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed their sorrow on Tuesday over the death of the renowned Tamil scholar and former Deputy Director of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, D. Gnanasundaram. The Governor said, "Deeply pained by the passing of Thiru D. Gnanasundaram. An eminent scholar who devoted his life to classical Tamil and Vaishnava traditions. His lifelong contributions to our great epic — the Ramayana, Kamba Ramayanam and Divya Prabandham has profoundly enriched Tamil heritage." CM Stalin remembered the scholar's close association with former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. He also recounted presenting the Tamil Nadu government's Ilakkiya Mamani award for 2024 to Gnanasundaram. Stalin called the scholar's death a huge loss to Tamil culture and expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family, Tamil enthusiasts, and students. D. Gnanasundaram's contributions to Tamil literature and heritage have left a lasting impact appreciated by many in Tamil Nadu and beyond.