Prapanchan
Encyclopedia
Prapanchan is the pseudonym of S. Vaidyalingam a Tamil
, writer and critic from Pondicherry, India
.
shop. He attended the Karandhai College and graduated as a Tamil Vidwan
. He started his career as a Tamil teacher in Thanjavur. He also worked as a journalist in Kumudam
, Ananda Vikatan
and Kungumam
. In 1961, he published his first short story Enna ulagamada in the magazine Bharani. He was influenced by the Self-Respect Movement
. He has published 46 books so far. In 1995, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award
for Tamil for his historical novel Vaanam Vasapadum (lit. The Sky will be ours) set in the times of Ananda Ranga Pillai
. His works have been translated into Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, German, French, English and Swedish. His play Muttai is part of the curriculum in Delhi University and his short story collection Nerru Manidhargal is a text book in many colleges. He is married to Pramila Rani and they have three sons. He lives in Chennai
and Pondicherry.
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 and critic from Pondicherry, 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
Prapanchan was born in Pondicherry and did his schooling there. His birth name was Vaidyalingam. His father ran a toddyToddy
Toddy may be:* Hot toddy, a mixed drink served hot* Palm wine, also known as palm toddy, an alcoholic beverage.* The toddy palm...
shop. He attended the Karandhai College and graduated as a Tamil Vidwan
Vidwan
A vidwan is a person who has vidya of a particular science or art. This term is usually used for Indian Classical Musicians to denote their scholarship and experience in performing classical music concerts. Vidwan may also be referred to as a doctorate in layman's terms....
. He started his career as a Tamil teacher in Thanjavur. He also worked as a journalist in Kumudam
Kumudam
Kumudam is a Tamil language weekly magazines published in Chennai, India. The group also publishes other Tamil magazines including Kumudam Reporter, Kumudam Snehidi, Kumudam Bhakti, Kumudam Jothidam, Kumudam Theeranadhi. At the sametime kumudam group started a telugu spiritual magazine called...
, 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...
and Kungumam
Kungumam
Kungumam is a Tamil weekly magazine published in Chennai, India. It is owned by Kalanidhi Maran's Sun Network. According to the Kungumam emerged as the top-selling Tamil weekly magazine overtaking historical market leaders like Kumudam and Ananda Vikatan. Also, is the second best selling...
. In 1961, he published his first short story Enna ulagamada in the magazine Bharani. He was influenced by the Self-Respect Movement
Self-Respect Movement
The Self-Respect Movement was founded in 1925 by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu, India. The movement has the aim of achieving a society where backward castes have equal human rights, and encouraging backward castes to have self-respect in the context of a caste based society that...
. He has published 46 books so far. In 1995, he 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 his historical novel Vaanam Vasapadum (lit. The Sky will be ours) set in the times of Ananda Ranga Pillai
Ananda Ranga Pillai
Ananda Ranga Pillai , was a dubash in the service of the French East India Company. He is mainly famous for his set of private diaries from the years 1736 to 1761 which portray life in 18th century India.Ananda Ranga Pillai was born in Madras in a well-to-do yadava family...
. His works have been translated into Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, German, French, English and Swedish. His play Muttai is part of the curriculum in Delhi University and his short story collection Nerru Manidhargal is a text book in many colleges. He is married to Pramila Rani and they have three sons. He lives in 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...
and Pondicherry.
Novels
- Vaanam vasappadum
- Mahanadhi
- Manudam vellum
- Sandhya
- Kagidha Manidhargal
- Kaneeral Kappom
- Penmai velga
- Padhavi
- Erodu Thamizhar uyirodu
Short story collections
- Nerru Manidhargal
- Vittu Viduthalayagi
- Iruttin Vaasal
- Oru ooril irandu manidhargal
Awards and recognitions
- Sahitya Akademi Award (1995) for Vaanam vasappadum
- Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award
- Coimbatore Kasturi Rangammal Award for Mahanadhi
- Ilakkiya Chinthanai Award for Manudam vellum
- AdithanarS. P. AdithanarSi. Balasubramania Adithan a.K.a Si. Ba. Adithan , popularly called as Adithanar, was a Tamil lawyer, politician, minister and founder of the Tamil daily newspaper Dina Thanthi. He was the founder of the We Tamils party and served as the member of the Madras Legislative Council for two terms...
award for Sandhya