Monday 24 December 2012

D. Selvaraj gets Sahitya Akademi award for his Tamil novel


Eminent Tamil novelist D. Selvaraj, one of the founders of the Progressive Writers’ Association has won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil Literature for the year 2012.

Sunday 16 December 2012

A historic vow revisited


On the 130th birth anniversary of Subramanya Bharati, Panchali’s Pledge — an English language translation of the poet’s classic Panchali Sabatham — by Usha Rajagopalan was launched by the Chennai Chapter of the Association of British Scholars (ABS).
The book attempts to translate the many poems that culminate in Panchali’s pledge when she was disrobed at the Kaurava court. “I grew up listening to Bharati’s songs in films and kutcheries, and always went into a trance. I couldn’t understand the songs, and I decided I would learn enough Tamil to translate this book into English,” says the author.

Friday 14 December 2012

A British journalist & the Tamil poet


On November 23, 1907 on Chennai’s Marina Beach, ‘between the esplanade and the surf’, a huge crowd had gathered around a small platform. A large lamp had been set on the platform to dispel the quickly enveloping monsoon darkness. In the teeming crowd, a lone European stood out. What was a white man doing at an extremist meeting being held at the height of the Swadeshi movement? He was no official or trader or missionary or even a vagrant. He was one of the finest late Victorian war correspondents, Henry Woodd Nevinson (1856–1941) whose work had been commended by writers such as Lawrence of Arabia.

Thursday 13 December 2012

Tamil writer’s latest triumph



Born in Thanjavur District, J.M. Sali, an international figure in the Tamil literary world, has been awarded the ‘Cultural Medallion 2012’ of the National Arts Council, Singapore. President Tony Tan Keng Yam presented the award at a brief function held at the President’s residence recently.

The Cultural Medallion was instituted in 1979, to recognise individuals who have attained artistic excellence and have contributed to Singapore’s arts and culture.  

Sunday 17 June 2012

Rajesh Kumar




Rajesh Kumar is an extremely prolific Tamil writer, most famous for his crime, detective, and science fiction stories.Since publishing his first short story "Seventh Test Tube" in Kalkandu magazine in 1968, he has written over 1,500 short novels and over 2,000 short stories.
      Many of his detective novels feature the recurring characters Vivek and Rubella. He continues to publish at least five novels every month, in the pocket magazines Best Novel,Everest Novel, Great Novel, Crime Novel, and Dhigil Novel, besides short stories published in weekly magazines like Kumudam and Ananda Vikatan. His writing is widely popular in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka.



Thursday 12 April 2012

Sivasankari


        Sivasankari, the popular Tamil writer and activist, has carved a niche for herself in the Tamil literary world over the last four decades. She is exceptionally sensitive to issues that confront contemporary society, which makes the staunch activist that she is. 



        Her works include more than 36 novels, 48 short novels, 150 short stories, 15 travelogues, 7 collections of articles, one talking book, 4 volumes of literary research book, 2 volumes of anthologies, and biographies of Smt. Indira Gandhi and Sri. G.D. Naidu.

           Her stories and articles have been published in prominent Tamil periodicals and many have been translated into English and other Indian languages. Her novels on Drug Abuse,Alcoholism and Old Age Problem, written after many years of research and authentic spadework, have won a lot of acclaim.


Akilan


Akilan the famous Tamil writer has been one of the most favorites to many tamilians... because of his realistic writing. AKILAN - P.V.AKILANDAM -- was born on JUNE 27TH at KARUR latter he spent his childhood and youthful days in PERUNGALOOR - PUDUKOTAI DISTRICT .Akilan wrote truth... what every one even dared to think. He was a gandhian at thoughts and was keenly interested in the upliftment of our society. So he quit his college predegree and followed Gandhiji's steps in India's struggle for freedom.

       He said" a writer must not write what the reader asks for... but he must write what the reader actually needs to know".  Akilan never compromised his writing for anything... that had made him so different and unique.

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Balakumaran

Balakumaran is a famous Tamil writer, author of over 150 novels, 100 short stories, and dialogue/screenplay writer for over 14 films. He has also contributed to Tamil periodicals such as Kalki, Ananda Vikatan and Kumudam. His writings are noted for a distinct philosophical and religious tone. Balakumaran's contribution to films has largely been in the field of screenplay making and dialogue writing. His skills in crafting the dialogue for any conceivable character are noteworthy in Kollywood.

Anuradha Ramanan

Anuradha Ramanan was one of the greatest literary giants Tamilnadu has ever produced. Her grandfather R. Balasubramanyam was a great actor of yore and had inspired her very much; in fact he mentored her to take up literature as her passion as well as profession. A student of Humanities, Anuradha Ramanan enjoyed her maiden success in literature when her article, "Kanavu Malrkal Kaukumpoothu", was published in the Mangai, 1977. 

               Mrs. Anuradha Ramanan has won a number of awards and prizes, including the Rajiv Gandhi Award, The Queen of Novels award, Awards for Best Novelist, Queen of Novels, Gold Medal from Idhyam Pesukirathu and so on. In 1978, she received a gold medal for her contribution in Tamil literature from the former Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran. Sirai, published in Ananda Vikatan, won a gold medal for the best short story.







Kalki Krishnamurthy


Kalki was the pen name of R. Krishnamurthy a noted Tamil writer, film & music critic, Indian independence activist and journalist from Tamil Nadu, India. Krishnamurthy was born at Puttamangalam near Mayiladuthurai in the old Thanjavur district in an orthodox, large Brahmin family with limited means. After primary education in the village, Krishnamurthy joined the National High School at Tiruchi, about 100 kilometres away.
           Krishnamurthy's first attempt at writing fiction also came during that period. In 1923 he became a sub-editor on Navasakthi, a Tamil periodical edited by Tamil scholar and freedom fighter V. Kalyanasundaram, known as "Thiru Vi. Ka". Krishnamurthy's first book was published in 1927.





Sandilyan


Sandilyan or Chandilyan is the Pen name of Bhashyam Iyengar, a noted Tamil writer of Historical fiction. Sandilyan was born in Thirukovilur in Tamil Nadu on November 10, 1910 to Ramanujam Iyengar and Poongovilvalli. His family was from Thiruindalur village near Mayiladuthurai. He did his schooling in Chennai Pachaiyappa's School and Saidapet Model School. His college education came from Tiruchirappalli St. Joseph's College. While in college, he was influenced by the visit of C. Rajagopalachari and joined theIndian independence movement. He became a member of the Indian National Congress. He married Ranganayaki in 1929.

Sujatha Rangarajan


Sujatha Rangarajan as the pseudonym of the Tamil writer S. Rangarajan, author of over 100 novels, 250 short stories, ten books on science, ten stage plays, and a slim volume of poems. Sujatha Rangarajan was born in Triplicane, Chennai but spent his childhood in Srirangam near Tiruchirapalli under the care of his paternal grandmother owing to his father's frequent transfers in his job. He did his schooling in Srirangam Boys High School, Srirangam. He attended St. Joseph's College, Trichy, where he was a classmate of Abdul Kalam (who later became the President of India). 
               Sujatha graduated in the 1954 class with a B.Sc in Physics (1952–54). Later he studied engineering in Electronics from the Madras Institute of Technology. His writing interests were largely inspired by the short stories and serials published in popular Tamil magazines.


Saturday 17 March 2012

Dr.A.P.J. Abdulkalam




"Great books ignite imagination,
Imagination leads to creativity,
Creativity blossoms thinking,
Thinking provides knowledge,
Knowledge makes you great."