Lalithambika Antharjanam

Lalithambika Antharjanam (1909–1987) was born on March 30, 1909, at Kottavattam near Kottarakkara in Kollam district. Her father, K. Damodaran Potti of Kottavattam Illam, was a member of the Sreemoolam Praja Sabha, and her mother was Nangayya Antharjanam. She received her education in Sanskrit and Malayalam from tutors at home and also gained proficiency in English and Hindi. Her first short story, Yathravasaam, was published in Malayalarajyam. In 1927, she married Narayanan Namboothiri of Amanakara Illam in Ramapuram, Meenachil Taluk, and had seven children, including the well-known writer N. Mohanan. Lalithambika was actively involved in early reform movements within the Namboothiri community in the erstwhile Travancore region. She received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1973 for her work Seetha Muthal Sathyavathi Vare. Her only novel, Agnisakshi, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, as well as the Central Sahitya Akademi Award, the Odakkuzhal Award, and the first Vayalar Award. She passed away on February 6, 1987.