Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Archives | Page 2 of 3

BALACHANDRAN CHULLIKKAD

Balachandran Chullikkad was born in Paravur in 1957. He graduated from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. In 1997, he was a member of the ten-member Indian literary delegation that visited Sweden at the joint invitation of the Swedish government, the Swedish Writers’ Union and the Nobel Academy. He represented Indian poetry at the International Literary Conference held in Gothenburg, Sweden, around the same time period. In 1998, he participated in the ‘Focana’ literary conference held in Rochester, USA. Balachandran Chullikkad’s Poems, published in 2000, was nominated for the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2001, but did not accept the award. His notable works include Amavasi, Chidambarasmarana, and Hiranyam

CHANDRAMATHI

Chandramathi’s real name is Chandrika Balan. She has a doctorate in English literature. She was a professor of English at All Saints College, Thiruvananthapuram. She has received the Saint Burkmans Award for outstanding college teachers and the Sivaprasad Foundation Award. Her other works include Swayam, Swatanam, Thattarakudyile Vigrahangal, Vethala Kathagal (novelette), Perilla Prashanam (collection of essays) and Njan Oru Veedu (memoir). She was the joint editor of the collection Madhyakaala Malayalam Kavitha. She has received fifteen awards for her short story collections, including the Thoppil Ravi Foundation Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Keli Award, Katha National Prize, Odakuzhal Award, Padmarajan Award, and O. V. Vijayan Award.

DESAMANGALAM RAMAKRISHNAN

Desamangalam Ramakrishnan was born in 1948 at Kalakantheswaram Veluthedam in Deshamangalam, Thalappilli taluk. Mother: Lakshmi Amma, father: Sankunni. He studied in his native place and in Cheruthuruthy. In 1972, he passed his M.A. in Malayalam from Pattambi Sanskrit College with first-class first rank. He worked as a translator at the Language Institute for a year. From 1975 to 1989, he was a teacher in Govt. Colleges. He did part-time research under Dr K.N. Ezhuthachan and obtained his PhD (1982). From 1989, he became a teacher in the Malayalam Department at Karyavattom Campus. He retired from the position of professor in 2008.

He also worked as an Emeritus Fellow at the University of Kozhikode, a Visiting Professor at the University of Madras, and a Professor and Dean at the University of Malayalam. Worked as a Senior Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Languages (ISDL). He has received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi’s Comprehensive Contribution Award (2014) and the Ashan Prize – Chennai (2018). He has published eight collections of poetry, including “Vittupoya Vakkukal”, “Tatharamayanam”, “Vicharichathalla”, “Ethra Yadarschikam”, “India Gate”, “Enne Kandumuttan Aakumo”, “Ashtavakrante Vinduvicharangal”, “Deshamangalam Kavithakal”, “Ente Kavita”, “Ivide Oru Vaakum Santhvanamavavilla”, and studies like Kavithayude Kalathanthram, “Vadhipadum Puthu Vazhiyum”, “Sahithya Bahuvajanam”, “N.N. Kakkad” and a few plays and poetry translations.

DIVAKARAN VISHNUMANGALAM

Divakaran Visnumangalam, a noted Malayalam author, was born on March 5, 1965, in Visnumangalam, Ajanur village, Kasaragod district. He holds an M.S.C. with a rank in Geology. His spouse is Nisha, and Harsha is his daughter. Worked as a senior geologist in the Department of Geology.

He has published children’s literature works, Nirvachanam, Padavali, Jeevanane Button, Dhamanikal, Ravorma, Koyakatta, Sonamnam (poem collections), Muthasshi Ksheriya (children’s poems), Unniarcha, Palattu Koman (recitation). The poem is entitled V.T. Kumaran Memorial Poetry Award (1989), Mahakavi Kuttamath Award (1995), Kerala Sahitya Akademi’s Kanakasree Endowment Award (1996), Vailoppilly Award (1997), Edassery Award (2005), Jwala Award from Mumbai (2006), Abu Dhabi Shakti Award (2007), Mahatma Gandhi University’s ‘Samskara’ Poetry Award (2014), N.V. Krishnawarrier Memorial Poetry Award (2015), Mahakavi P. Foundation’s Thamarathoni Poetry Award (2017), Moodadi Damodaran Memorial Poetry Award (2018), V.V.K. He is the recipient of the Poetry Award (2019), Mooloor Award (2019), Thirunallur Poetry Award (2021) and other awards. Represented Malayalam poetry at the National Youth Poetry Conference jointly organised by the Kendra Sahitya Akademi and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi in 2003 and at the National All-Language Poets Conference organised by All India Radio in Guwahati on the occasion of Republic Day in 2010.

K.P. RAMANUNNI

K. P. Ramanunni, a prominent senior writer in Malayalam literature. He was born in Ponnani in 1955, to Janakiyamma Puthenveetil, Karumathil and Damodaran Nair, Pattaraparambil. His spouse is Raji, and Sridevi is his daugther. Completed post-graduate degree in English literature. He was an assistant manager in the State Bank of India. Served as the editor of Madhyamam weekly and as the administrator of the Thunchan Memorial Trust. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor at Malayalam University. His notable works include ‘Vidhathavinte Chiri’, ‘Jaathi Chodhikkuka’, ‘Charama Varshikam’, ‘Sufi Paranja Katha’, ‘Daivathinte Pusthakam’, ‘Jeevithathinte Pusthakam’, ‘Prakasham Parathunna Aankutti’, and ‘Thanthapparatheyyam.’

Furthermore, Oxford University Press has published his short story ‘Charama Varshikam’ in English titled as ‘Death Anniversary’ Also, his acclaimed novel ‘Sufi Paranja Katha’ is translated into English, French, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Konkani, and Maithili. It is released as a film.

Furthermore, he is a recipient of several prestigious awards. He has recieved the Samastha Kerala Sahitya Parishad Sammanam, the Edassery Award, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. Also, the Vayalar Award, the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad National Award, the V.P. Sivakumar Smarakam Keli Award, the Padmarajan Puraskar, the Abu Dhabi Shakti Award, the Delhi Katha Award, the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam Award, the A.P. Kalakkad Award, the C.V. Sreeraman Smaraka Ayanam Award, the T.V. Kochubawa Puraskar and the Kairali Award. His novel ‘Jeevithathinte Pusthakam’, won the Vayalar Award in 2011.

VEERANKUTTY

Veerankutty was born in Narayankulam, Kozhikode district, to Kunjabdulla and Ayisha. He was the head of the Malayalam department at Madappally Govt. College. His works include Undanum Noolanum, Veerankuttyude Kavithakal, Mindaprani, Kunjan Puli Kunjan Muyalaya Katha, A Stroll Grazing Each Other (Ullas R Koya) ect. His work Mindaprani won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 2017. He has won the Cherusseri Award, P. Kunjiraman Nair Award, V.T. Kumaran Poetry Award, K.S.K. Thalikkulam Award, Tamil Nadu CTMA Literary Award, Abu Dhabi Harithakshara Award for poetry and the SBT Award for children’s literature. His poetry has been published in Poetry International Magazine. It has been translated into languages such as English, German, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, and Hindi.

VIMEESH MANIYUR

Vimeesh Maniyur was born on 16 May 1987 in Maniyur, Kozhikode district. He studied at Maniyur Panchayat High School, Meppaiyoor G.V.H.S.S., Malabar Christian College and Calicut University. His works include Ration Card, Ente Namathil Daivam (poem collections), Saadaranam (novel), and Oru Kunnum Munnu Kuttikalum (children’s literature). His poems have been translated into Tamil, Kannada and English. He has received many awards, including the Poonthanam Poetry Award, the Kanakasree Endowment of the Kerala Sahitya Academy, and others.

KING JOHNS

King Johns was born in Idukki in 1985. He holds a degree in journalism. His works include Chattambisasthram, Kotharani, and Sarkkar. He has received the Kanakasree Award from the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, the DC Books Novel Award, the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Pratibha Award from the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board, the Poonthanam Award, the Kesari Literary Award, and the Thoppil Ravi Literary Award Special Jury Award.

GRACY

Gracie published her first collection of stories, Padiyandalpoya Parvathy, in 1991. Many of her stories have been translated into English, as well as into Kannada and Tamil. She has now published two collections of stories in Tamil, namely Ipot Panikalam and Nachathirankkal Veelum Nerath. The Dakshina Bharata Hindi Prachar Sabha has published a collection of twenty stories titled Gracie Ki Kahani. The collection of stories, Padiyandalpoya Parvathy, has been translated into the Kannada language. She has received the Lalithambika Antharjanam Award for Women Writers in 1995, the Thoppil Ravi Award in 1997, the Katha Award for Best Malayalam Story (Delhi) in 1998, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2000, the Gurudakshina Puraskar in 2019, and the Kendra Sahitya Akademi’s Children’s Literature Award in 2020. Her works include Udalvazhikal Gracy, Gracyude Kathakal, etc.

KUREEPUZHA SREEKUMAR

Kureepuzha Sreekumar was born on April 10, 1955, in Kureepuzha on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake (Kollam), to P.N. Sastry and K. Kamalamma. Girlfriend: Sushama Kumari. Son: Nesin Sreekumar. While a student at Sree Narayana College, Kollam, he won the first prize for poetry in the Youth Festival. While a student, he was imprisoned for participating in the protest. He worked against the Emergency. He has represented India at the Afro-Asian Young Writers Conference and Malayalam at the National Poet’s Conference. He has presented poetry at various universities in India. His works include Uppa, Kureepuzha Sreekumarinte Kavithakal and Fathima Thooruthu

He has received many awards including the Vailoppilly Award, Abu Dhabi Shakti Award, State Children’s Literature Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, P. Smaraka Award, Mooloor Award, Bhima Children’s Literature Award. He refused the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Award. He is not a believer in caste or religion.