Chellapah Canagaratnam (2 May 1940 – 14 February 1966), known as Charles Chellapah was a Singaporean photojournalist who was killed on assignment during the Vietnam War.
Charles Chellapah | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | May 2, 1940 |
| Died | February 14, 1966 (aged 25) |
| Nationality | Singaporean |
| Occupation | Military photographer |
Biography
editChellapah was born in Singapore. He worked as a sports reporter for the Singapore Free Press and then became a freelance photographer. He worked for the Malay Times in Kuala Lumpur and then the Sabah Daily Express in Sabah. He arrived in Saigon on 21 January 1966. Freelancing for the Associated Press, he went to Cu Chi some 25 miles (40 km) north of Saigon, it was a densely jungled rubber plantation honey-combed with Vietcong (VC) tunnels and overrun by snipers. His close-up images of casualties and combat prompted AP photo editor Horst Faas to warn Chellappah to be more cautious and take fewer chances.[1]: 35
On 14 February 1966, Chellapah was killed in a VC landmine blast while attempting to aid soldiers injured in an earlier mine blast.[1]: 35
Chellapah's remains were returned to Singapore and cremated, his ashes were scattered at sea.[1]: 36
References
edit- ^ a b c Shirlene Noordin (January–March 2020). "The Vietnam War through Singaporean eyes" (PDF). Biblioasia. 15 (4).
External links
edit
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