Lakshmi Thiripurasundari
Encyclopedia
Lakshmi is the pseudonym of S. Thiripurasundari a Tamil
writer from Tamil Nadu
, India
.
near Chidambaram
, Tamil Nadu
. Her parents were Dr. Srinivasan and Pattammal (Sivakami). She was schooled at Thottiyam
, Musiri
and Holy Cross School, Trichy. She studied in Stanley Medical College
and became a medical doctor. She began publishing short stories in Ananda Vikatan
while still at college. She used "Lakshmi" as her pseudonym. Her first short story to be published was Thagunda thandanaya? (lit. An apt punishment?). Her first novel to be published was Bhavani. After completing her medical education, she practiced at Chennai
. She married Kannabiran in 1955 and moved to South Africa
, where she lived for the next twenty two years. Her husband died in 1966. She returned to India in 1977 and took up full time writing. She died in 1987.
Thiripurasundari was a prolific writer who has published hundreds of short stories and novels. Her novels Penn manam and Mithila Vilas were awarded the Tamil Valarchi Kazhagam price. In 1984, she was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award
for Tamil for her novel Oru Kaveriyai pola(lit. Like the river Kaveri). Her Kanchanaiyin Kanavu and Penn Manam were made into Tamil films - Kanchana(1952) and Iruvar Ullam (1963). Most of her works were based on family issues.
In 2009, when the Government of Tamil Nadu
offered to nationalise her works, her legal heirs refused the offer.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
writer from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Biography
Thiripurasundari was born in Thottiyam in AmmapettaiAmmapettai (Thanjavur district)
Ammapettai is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.- Demographics : India census, Ammapettai had a population of 13,816. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Ammapettai has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of...
near Chidambaram
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is a fast growing industrial city in Eastern part of Tamil Nadu and the taluk headquarters of the Cuddalore district. It is located in 58 km from Pondicherry, 60 km from Karaikal, and 240 km south of Chennai by rail...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. Her parents were Dr. Srinivasan and Pattammal (Sivakami). She was schooled at Thottiyam
Thottiyam
Thottiyam is a panchayat town in Tiruchirappalli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated 60 km north-west of Tiruchirapalli on Tiruchy-Namakkal State Highway and further it connects Namakkal-Salem-Bangalore National Highway...
, Musiri
Musiri
Musiri is a panchayat town in Tiruchirappalli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Musiri is located at . It has an average elevation of 82 metres . It is the site of an ancient inland port on the Kaveri River also called Pseudostomus or 'one with false mouths'.-Demographics: India...
and Holy Cross School, Trichy. She studied in Stanley Medical College
Stanley Medical College
Stanley Medical College is a government medical college with hospitals, located in Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Though the original hospital is more than 200 years old, the medical college was formally established on July 2, 1938...
and became a medical doctor. She began publishing short stories in Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த விகடன் is the leading Tamil language weekly magazine published from Chennai, India. It is part of the Vikatan group which also publishes Junior Vikatan , Chutti Vikatan , Aval Vikatan , Naanayam Vikatan , Sakthi Vikatan , Motor Vikatan and Pasumai Vikatan Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த...
while still at college. She used "Lakshmi" as her pseudonym. Her first short story to be published was Thagunda thandanaya? (lit. An apt punishment?). Her first novel to be published was Bhavani. After completing her medical education, she practiced at Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. She married Kannabiran in 1955 and moved to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where she lived for the next twenty two years. Her husband died in 1966. She returned to India in 1977 and took up full time writing. She died in 1987.
Thiripurasundari was a prolific writer who has published hundreds of short stories and novels. Her novels Penn manam and Mithila Vilas were awarded the Tamil Valarchi Kazhagam price. In 1984, she was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honor in India which Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of outstanding works in one of the following twenty-four major Indian languagesAssamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri,...
for Tamil for her novel Oru Kaveriyai pola(lit. Like the river Kaveri). Her Kanchanaiyin Kanavu and Penn Manam were made into Tamil films - Kanchana(1952) and Iruvar Ullam (1963). Most of her works were based on family issues.
In 2009, when the Government of Tamil Nadu
Government of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu, headquartered at Chennai is the governing authority for the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at the Fort St. George...
offered to nationalise her works, her legal heirs refused the offer.
Partial bibliography
- Azhagin Aradhanai
- Aval Thayagiral
- Asoka maram pookavillai
- Adutha Veedu
- Arakku Maaligai
- Adhisiya Raagam
- Aththai
- Avalukkendru oru idam
- Aval oru Thendral
- Irandavadu malar
- Ivala en magal
- Irandu pengal
- Irandavadu thenilavu
- Iniya unarvae ennai kolladhae
- Irulil tholaindha unmai
- Indrum naalayum
- Uravugal pirivathillai
- Uyarvu
- Uravin kural
- Ooonrukol
- En veedu
- En manaivi
- Oru Kaveriyai pola
- Oru Sivappu pachayagiradhu
- Kadaisi varai
- Gangaiyum Vandhal
- Kadhavu Thirandaal
- Kadhasiriyaiyin kadhai
- Kazhuthil vizhundha maalai
- Kanavan amaivedhallam
- Kashmi kathi
- Kaaliyin kangal
- Kooramal sanniyasam
- Koondukullae oru paingili
- Kai maariya podhu
- Kodai megangal
- Sasiyin kadidhangal
- Thirumbi paarthal
- Thunai
- Thai pirakattum
- Thottathu veedu
- Nadhi moolam
- Nalladhor veenai
- Nayakkar magal
- Nirka Neramillai
- Nyayangal marumpodhu
- Nigazhdha kadhaigal
- Neela pudavai
- Needhikku kaigal neelam
- Pannayar magal
- Pavalamalli
- Bhavani
- Punidha oru pudhir
- Pudhai manal
- Peyar solla maatten
- Penn manam
- Pennin parisu
- Maragadham
- Manam oru ranga rattinam
- Mann kudhirai
- Maru magal
- Marupadiyuma?
- Mayamaan
- Meendum vasandham
- Meendum oru seethai
- Meendum pirandhaalin
- Meendu penn manam
- Murugan sirithaan
- Mogathirai
- Radhaavin thirumanam
- Rama Rajyam
- Roja vairam
- Vanitha
- Vasanthikku vandha aasai
- Vadakke oru sandhippu
- Vaazha ninaithaal
- Veerathevan kottai
- Velicham vandhadhu
- Jeyanthi Vandhaal
- Srimathi maithili
Awards and recognitions
- Tamil Valarchi Kazhagam award for Penn manam and Mithila Vilas
- Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil in 1984