Author Award: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
NS MADHAVAN
N. S. Madhavan was born in Ernakulam. He received his IAS in 1975 and was a civil service officer. He is a prominent Malayalam writer and former civil servant, known for his sharp social and political commentary. A distinguished short story writer and novelist. Madhavan is credited with making a significant contribution to bringing short story literature back into the mainstream.
He is best known for his novel ‘Lanthanbatheriyile Luthiniyakal’ and several celebrated short stories, including ‘Higuita’, ‘Thiruthu’, ‘Chulaimedile Shavangal’, Panchakanyakakal, Bheemachan and ‘Vanmarangal Veezhumpol’. In addition to fiction, Madhavan writes columns on football and travel.
In 1970, his story ‘Shishu‘ won the first prize in the short story competition organised by Mathrubhumi for college students. He is a distinguished fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and Odakkuzhal award for his work Higuita, the Mulberry, Padmarajan and V.P. Sivakumar Memorial ‘Keli’ for best single stories, Muttathu Varkey Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award, Crossword Book Award, and the Kerala State Students Federation Sahithyolsav Award. He was also selected three times for the ‘Katha’ Prize in Delhi.
PRIYA A.S
Priya A. S. was born in Eramallur, Cherthala. Assistant Section Officer at Cochin University of Science and Technology. Her debut work is a collection of short stories titled Ororo Thirivukal. She is the recipient of many awards. Manjamaramangal Chuttilum won the Lalithambika Antharjanam Award for Young Writer and the Jagarooka Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. Chitrashalabhangalude Veedu (Sri Padmanabhaswamy Endowment), Ammenkunjunneem Kunjunneemammem (Siddharth Balasahithya Puraskaram) Perumazhayathe Kunjithalukal (Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Children’s Literature, 2020). She has translated Arundhati Roy’s famous work The God of Small Things into Malayalam, titled as Kunjukaryangalude Odethampuran (Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Translation). And has translated Jayashree Mishra’s Ancient Promises Janmantharavagdanangal (V. K. Unnikrishnan Memorial Award). Her other works include Violet Poochakalku Shoo Vekkan Thonnumbol, Priya A.Sinte Kathakal, Pookathirikan Ennik Avathille, Ammenkunjunnim Mookurummi Mookurummi, Kathakathapinekili, Ente Neelapoovinu Enthupatti? Tha Enna Aniyathikutty, A Daivathinoru Kathu Appu Kalikoodu Veedu, Sundaram Veettile Visheshangal, Phanras Minra, Thanmayam, Ente Kothankallukal.
SUNIL. P. ILAYIDOM
Born in 1968, to M.C. Pankajakshan Ilayidom and D. Ramani Devi. His spouse is Meena S, and children are Janaki and Madhavan. He completed his bachelor’s degree in physics and a Postgraduate degree in Malayalam Literature. PhD on ‘Political Unconsciousness of Modernism’. Professor of Malayalam at Sree Shankaracharya Sanskrit University, Kalady
Sunil P. Elayidom is a famous writer, critic, orator and university professor. He is also well known for his lectures on contemporary politics, literature, art, epics and culture. Elayidom has published many works on art, literary criticism, history, Marxism and Culture. His major works include Literary Criticism (Ajnjathavumayulla Abhimukhangal-2011). Art History/Art Design (Kanvazhikal Kazhchavattangal-2003, and ‘Anubhuthikalude Charithra Jeevitham’-2014, Tyagaraja Yoga Vaibhavam-2017, Deshabhavangalude Aattaprakarangal-2019). Marxism (Veendeduppukal: Marxisavum and Adhunika Vimarshanavum-2013, Alayadikunna Vaakku-2019). History (Charithram: Paadaroopangalum Prathayasasthravum-2004, India Charithra Vignjanam: Desam, Desiyatha, and Desacharithram-2012). Cultural Studies (Adhinivesham and Adhunikatha-1999), Bhagavad Gita: Charithra Darsanam (ed.)-2000, Uriyattam-2007, Damitam: Adhunikavimarshanathinte Rashtriya Avabodham-2009, Mahabharatam- Samskarika Charithram. Sixteen books in the fields of articles (Nanarthangal: Samooham, Charithram and Samskaram-2016), book studies (Vayanavicharam-2017), and discourses (Aatmam, Aparam, Adhinivesham-2016).
He has received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Scholarly Literature in 2006 and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism for his book, ‘Ajnjathavumayulla Abhimukhangal’ in 2013. He has also received the Kerala Lalithakala Academy’s Kesari Balakrishna Pillai Award for comprehensive contribution in the field of art criticism, the Kerala Lalithakala Academy Award for Art Criticism, the Prathama Chintaravi Award, the M.N. Vijayan Memorial Award, the Dr K. N. Ezhuthachan Award, the Pavanan Award, the Abu Dhabi Shakti Award, the Thayat Award, the S.B.T. Award, the Pattathuvila Award, and the Gurudarshan Award.
VIJAYALAKSHMI
Vijayalakshmi was born in 1960 in Mulanthuruthi, Ernakulam district. She completed her B.Sc. degree with first class from St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, and her M.A. (Malayalam Language and Literature) degree with first rank from Maharaja’s College. Her poetry was first published in 1977 in the weekly Kalakaumudi. She won first place for short story and poetry in the 1980 Youth Festival of the Undivided University of Kerala.
She received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Poetry Award in 1994. She has received many recognitions, including the Mahakavi Ulloor Memorial Award. In 2013, she received the O.V. Vijayan Memorial (Hyderabad) Award, the Kerala State Library Council Award, and the Padma Prabha Award. After 29 years of service, she voluntarily retired from BSNL in 2011. She currently lives in Bengaluru.
KHADEEJA MUMTAZ
Khadeeja Mumtaz, born in 1955 in Kattoor in Thrissur district, retired voluntarily while in service at Kozhikode Government Medical College, as Professor of Gynaecology. She was the Vice President of Kerala Sahitya Akademi for six years and was also a member of the Academic Council at Thunchathezhuthachan Malayalam University. Her notable works include Atmatheerthangalil Mungiya Nivaran, Bars, Sargam Samooham and Adhi Niveshangal , among others. Mumtaz started her literary career with Athmatheerthangalil Munginivarnnu, which was first published as a serial novel in Chandrika weekly and later as a book by Current Books in 2004. Mumtaz rose to fame with her novel Barsa (2007), which was a great critical and popular success. Her accolades include the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, the Cherukad Award, the K.V. Surendranath Award, and the Thrissur Sahitya Vedi Award.
KALPATA NARAYANAN
Kalpetta Narayanan was born in Kalpetta, Wayanad district, to Sankaran Nair and Narayani Amma in January 1952. He was a teacher at Brennan College, Thalassery and Arts & Science College, Kozhikode. Now living in Kollam, near Koyilandi. Poet, novelist, essayist, literary and socio-cultural critic. Major works: Samayaprabhu, Oru Mudanthante Suvisham, Karuta Pal, Ithramatham, Evidamividam, Ethilayum Madhurikunna Kadukalil, Kayar Murukkukkayanu, Ente Basheer, Oru Cinema Prekshakante Athmakatha, Soundaryam Veluppumai Orudambadiyilum Oppuvechittilla, Kavithayude Jeevacharithram. He has received the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for Poetry and Literary Criticism in 2017, as well as the Padma Prabha Puraskaram, Basheer Award, V. T. Kumaran Award, Ayyappan Award, and Dr T. Bhaskaran Award, among others.
K C NARAYANAN
K.C. Narayanan was born in 1952 in Sreekrishnapuram, Palakkad district. He passed his M.A. from Pattanpi College in 1974. He worked in various units of ‘Mathrubhumi’ from 1975 to 1998. During this time, he was also in charge of the Mathrubhumi weekly and Mathrubhumi Weekend Edition. He retired in 1998 while working as the editor of Thrissur News. He then took charge of Malayala Manorama’s Bhashaposhini and yearbooks published in five languages and retired in 2019. His works include Mahabharatham – Oru Swathanthra Software, Mahatma Gandhiyum Madhavikuttyum and Malayaliyude Rathrikal, showcasing his prowess as a literary and cultural critic. He was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2003. At present, K.C. Narayanan divides his time between Kozhikode and his ancestral house in Sreekrishnapuram, Palakkad district.
JIJI THOMSON
Jiji Thomson was born in 1956 to the late Eso Thomas and the late Annamma of Thoppil, Kuttivila, Mavelikkara. His spouse is Sheelu, and his children are Anna and Miriam. He studied in Thiruvananthapuram and joined the IAS in 1980. Served for 36 years in various departments in Kerala and the Centre. He was appointed as the 39th Chief Secretary of the State of Kerala in 2015. He has won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2003 for his first book ‘Nothing Official’. Published the book ‘Singing After the Storm‘ in 2020. His works also include, Kedukattile Neythiri, and Nothing Personal
JAYACHANDRAN MOKERI
Jayachandran Mokeri was born in Mokeri, Kozhikode district, to Retd. Village Officer T. Chathukutty Nair (T.C. Nair) and Janaki Amma in Kurunthokandi. His spouse is Jyothi M.K., and his children are Abhijith J.J. and Karthika J.J. After school and college education, he worked as a freelance journalist and later as a teacher in India and abroad. He wrote the script for the documentary Mayyazhiyude Vimochakan, which was broadcast by Doordarshan. He currently writes for periodicals. His works include Thakkijja Ente Jail Jeevitham and Kadalneelam.
His first work, Thakkijja Ente Jail Jeevitham, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2017, the Tattvamasi-Dr. Sukumar Azhikode Samskarika Akademi Award in 2017-2018, the V.T. Smaraka Trust’s Professor Sreedevi Smaraka Endowment Literary Award for the year 2019-2020, and the Malayalam Literature Forum Award in 2021.
BAIJU N NAIR
Baiju N. Nair was born in Vellore, Kottayam, to Narayanan Nair and Shanthakumari. He completed his postgraduate studies from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam and a diploma in journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Released the magazine, Top Gear, the first automobile magazine in Indian languages. He serves as the chief editor of Smart Drive automobile magazine. He has penned several works, including Londonilekku Oru Road Yathra, Ukrainum Taiwanum: Randu Rajyangal Vethyastha Lokangal and Balkan Diary. His book Londonilekku Oru Road Yathra won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Best Travelogue in 2018. In 2014, he became the first person to travel 24,000 kilometers and more than twenty countries from India to London by road.