salem r venkataswami a writer and close friend of former chief minister m karunanidhi passed away at his home in salem city on thursday night he was 91 an employee of postal department who later became a writer venkataswami got introduced to the late dmk patriarch when the latter visited modern theatres in salem to write scripts in his condolence message dmk president m k stalin quoted his father karunanidhi once saying the first thing that comes to my mind the moment salem is mentioned is venkataswamy stalin said the news of his death was a shockright from the days when he helped thalaivar kalignar karunanidhi find a rented accommodation in salem venkatswamy had been travelling down the path laid down by the latter he has a special place in literary as well as personal life of thalaivar stalin said stalin said venkataswamy was among the very few who could meet karunanidhi anytimefamily members of venkataswamy also recalled the camaraderie between the two v balaji venkataswamis son said his father first met karunanidhi through director somu a common friend the director requested my father to get a rental house for karunanidhi balaji said adding that karunanidhi started residing at the rented house with his family balaji said after watching kalaignars name in the mandiri kumari movie title venkataswami requested karunanidhi not to forget him even after reaching greater heights in the cinema industry kalaignar who taken aback by venkataswamis request said he would be a friend for ever venkataswami had written 54 novels and short stories and stopped writing after his wife saraswathi 85 died two months ago