(The SH in this name is pronounced like one between the 's' in 'sun' and 'sh' in 'shut')
Sootha was the name of a famous saint. His real name was Ugrashravas. He was the son of Romaharshana . Sootha was mentioned in many books as an eminent narrator of epics and other stories to his fellow saints.
( One of the hundred kourava brothers was also named Ugrashravas. Also, a sage of this name ie Sootha is mentioned in Shanthi parva, as one among the sages that were with Bheeshma during the latter's last days. As a class, the word Sootha or Soothas represents the sect of Sootha caste, whose profession was to build and drive the chariots. The word Sootha is also a synonym for a chariot driver.) . He once attended Shounaka's 12 year long sacrifice when all the saints gathered. The house asked him for a rendition of a sacred discourse. Then he begins to narrate the epic of Mahaabhaaratham to them, as was heard by him while Vyshampaayana was rendering to Janamejaya.
Many of the Indian classic works begin with the introduction --" Sootha said to Shounaka and his companion sages. " This indicates that Sootha undertook many such assignments of rendering stories to the congress of saints for the benefit of all.
Tradition says that the word sootha in fact indicates a class of learned people ( professional lectureres ) rather than a particular person.