Dr.Vadivel Thambiran Arumugham,Head of the Department of Performing Arts, Pondicherry University, was born in a traditional Theru–K-Koothu family of Tamilnadu. Ph.D on “The Theatrical Explorations of Eunuch Festival.Written and Directed many plays, which participated in National and International theatre festivals. Performer and troupe leader of the Theru–K-koothu group in the Festival of India in France (1985), Sweden (1987) and Festival de I’imagenerie at Paris (1997). Recipient of the award in 1995 of vistorship to France under Indo – French programme of Social Sciences for doing research on contemporary theatre and choreography. Fellowship from British council (1995) to visit London to study contemporary British theatre. Did one man Theru-K-koothu performances in U.K, USA, France, Germany and Switzerland.
The book, “Karunchuzhi”, a collection of his plays, received the best book award from the Tamilnadu and Pondicherry Government. Directed and staged Madurai Veeran Theru Koothu at FeTNA' 23rd Annual Tamil Convention 2010 Waterbury CT,USA.