P. Valsala (born 4 April 1938) is a

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

novelist,

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

writer, and

social activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

from

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. She is a recipient of

Ezhuthachan Puraskaram The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the highest literary honour is given by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Government of Kerala. The award is named after Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, the father of the Malayalam language and consists of a cash prize of 5,00,00 ...

2021, the highest literary honour by government of Kerala. She is only the fifth woman to receive the award since its institution in 1993. Valsala is also a recipient of

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

for her novel ''Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal'' (The Paths where Shadows Sleep). She has written over 25 short story collections and 17 novels. She is renowned for her distinct style of writing. Her works have won several awards including Kumkumam Award (for ''Nellu'' published in 1972), the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (for ''Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal''), the Muttathu Varkey Award, and the CV Kunhiraman Memorial Sahitya Award. A former headmistress, Valsala also held the post of Chairperson of

Kerala Sahitya Akademi The Kerala Sahitya Akademi or Academy for Malayalam literature is an autonomous body established to promote the Malayalam language and Malayalam literature, literature. It is situated in City of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy ...

. She was associated with PuKaSa, a left-leaning cultural movement, but lately she has been supportive of Hindu right-wing organisations. She resides in Kozhikode,a district in northern Kerala.

Selected works

;Short stories *''Pempi'', Poorna Books,

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...

, 1969 *''Pazhaya, Puthiya Nagaram'' (The Old, New City), The Sahithya Pravarthaka Cooperative Society (SPCS),

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south-we ...

, 1979 *''Anupamayude Kavalkkaran'' (The Bodyguard of Anupama), SPCS, 1980 *''Aanavettakkaran'' (The Elephant Hunter), SPCS, 1982 *''Unikkoran Chathopathiya'' (Unikkoran Chathopathiya), SPCS, 1985 *''Annamaria Neridan'' (For Anna Marie To Confront), SPCS, 1988 *''Karuttha Mazha Peyyunna Thazhvara'' (The Valley of Black Rains), SPCS, 1988 *''Chamundy Kuzhi'' (Chamundi's Pit), SPCS, 1989 *''Arundhati Karayunnilla'' (Arundhati doesn't Cry), SPCS, 1991 *''Koonychoottile Velicham'' (The Light behind the Flight Stairs), Prabhath Book House,

Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

, 1992 *''Madakkam II'' (The Return II), D. C. Books, 1998 *''Panguru Pushpathinde Theen'' (Honey from the Flower of Panguru), Poorna Books, 1998 *''Madakkam'' (The Return),

D. C. Books DC Books is a publisher in Kerala publisher of books in Malayalam, and one of the publishers in India . It also operates one of the largest book store chains in India, with a network of over 45 bookshops under the DC Books and Current Books b ...

, 1998 *''Kaly ’98 Thudarcha'' (Sports 98 Cont.), Prabhath Book House, 1998 *''Pookku Vayil Ponvayil'' (The Sunset that is Gold), Olive, 1999 *''Dhushyanthannum Bheemannummillatha Lokam'' (The world Devoid by Dhushyntha and Bhima), Poorna Books, 1999 *''Kalal Kavalal'' (The Soldier who is the Guard), D. C. Books, 2001 *''Kottayile Prema'' (Prema in the forth), Olive Books, Calicut, 2002 *''Pooram'' (The Temple Festival), D. C. Books, 2003 *''Aaranniya Kandam'' (Stories of the Forest), D. C. Books, 2003 *''Mythiliyuda Makal'' (The Daughter of Mythili), Green Books, Calicut, 2004 *''Ashokanum Ayalum'' (He and Ashokan), D. C. Books, 2006 *''Chandalabhikshukiyum Marikkunna Pownamiyum'' (Chandalabhikshuki and the Dying full Moon), Book Point,

, 2007 *''Suvarna Kadhakal'' (The Golden Stories), Green Books, Trichur, 2008 *''Gate Thurannittirikkunnu'', SPCS, Kottayam, 2008 ;Novel *''Thakarcha'' (Decadence),Poorna Books,

, 1969 * Nellu (Paddy), The Sahithya Pravarthaka Cooperative Society (SPCS),

, 1972 (Adapted into a film with same name in 1974) *''Agnayam'' (Of Fire), SPCS 1974; translated into English by Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan as ''Agneyam: The story of a Nambudiri woman'', Sahitya Akademi, 2008 *''Nizhaluragunna Vazhikal'' (The Paths where Shadaows Sleep), SPCS 1975 *''Arakkillam'' (The House of Wax), SPCS, 1977 *''Venal'' (The Summer), SPCS, 1979 *''Kanal'' (The Live Coal), SPCS, 1979 *''Nambarukal'' (The Numbers), SPCS, 1980 *''Palayam'' (The Barracks), SPCS, 1981 *''Kooman Kolly'' (The Valley Owls), SPCS 1981 *''Gauthaman'' (Gauthaman), SPCS, 1986 *''Aarum marikuunnilla'' (Nobody Dies), SPCS /

, 1987 *''Chaver'' (The Knights), SPCS, 1991 *''Rose merreyude Aakasangal'' (The Skies of Rosemarry),

, Kottayam, 1993 *''Vilaapam'' (The Cry), D. C. Books, 1997 *''Aadhijalam'' (The Primeval Water), D. C. Books, 2004 *''Melppalam'' (The Flyover),

Mathrubhumi Books ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian freedom struggle against the British. The word "Mathrubhumi" translates to 'mother land'. I ...

, Calicut, 2007

Awards

*Kumkumam Award - ''Nellu'' *Kerala Sahithya Academy Award - ''Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal'' *

Muttathu Varkey Award Muttathu Varkey Award for contributions to the field of Malayalam literature is instituted by the Muttattu Varkey Foundation in memory of novelist Muttathu Varkey. The award was instituted in 1992 and as of 2012, it carries a purse of 50000, a c ...

- for her contributions to Malayalam literature *

C. V. Kunhiraman C. V. Kunhiraman (6 February 1871 – 10 April 1949) was an Indian social reformer, journalist and the founder of Kerala Kaumudi daily. A follower of Sree Narayana Guru, Kunhiraman was the author of a number of books covering the genres of ...

Memorial Sahithya Award *

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship is an honour of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), given to writers of Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Laksha ...

(2019)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Valsala, P. 1938 births Living people Malayalam short story writers Malayalam novelists Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Indian women novelists Indian women short story writers Writers from Kozhikode Malayalam-language writers 20th-century Indian short story writers 20th-century Indian women writers 20th-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian short story writers 21st-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian women writers 21st-century Indian writers Women writers from Kerala Novelists from Kerala