Anita Nair
| Anita Nair | |
|---|---|
|
Anita Nair | |
| Born |
26 January 1966 Shoranur, Kerala, India |
| Education | B.A (English Literature) |
| Alma mater |
NSS College, Ottapalam, Kerala |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Known for | Ladies Coupé, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting, Idris: Keeper of the Light |
Anita Nair (born 26 January 1966) is an Indian English-language writer.
Early life
Nair was born in Shornur in Palakkad district of Kerala.[1][2] Nair was educated in Chennai (Madras) before returning to Kerala, where she gained a BA in English Language and Literature.[3] She lives in Bangalore with her husband, Harish[4] and a son.[5]
Career
Nair was working as the creative director of an advertising agency in Bangalore when she wrote her first book, a collection of short stories called Satyr of the Subway, which she sold to Har-Anand Press. The book won her a fellowship from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
Nair's second book was published by Penguin India, and was the first book by an Indian author to be published by Picador USA. A bestselling author of fiction and poetry, Nair's novels The Better Man and Ladies Coupe have been translated into 21 languages. Among Nair's early commercial works were pieces she penned in the late 90's for The Bangalore Monthly magazine (now called "080" Magazine), published by Explocity in a column titled 'The Economical Epicurean'.[6][7]
Thereafter followed Nair's novel The Better Man (2000) which also has been published in Europe and the United States. In 2002, appeared the collection of poems Malabar Mind, and in 2003 Where the Rain is Born - Writings about Kerala which she has edited. Anita Nair's second novel Ladies Coupé from 2001, has turned out to be an even greater success than the first both among critics and readers in so far 15 countries outside India: from USA to Turkey, from Poland to Portugal.
In 2002, "Ladies Coupé" was elected as one of the five best in India. The novel is about women's conditions in a male dominated society, told with great insight, solidarity and humour.[7] Ladies Coupe (2001) was rated as one of 2002's top five books of the year and was translated into more than twenty-five languages around the world.
Nair has also written The Puffin Book of Myths and Legends (2004), a children's book on myths and legends. Nair has also edited Where the Rain is Born (2003). Nair's writings about Kerala and her poetry has been included in The Poetry India Collection and a British Council Poetry Workshop Anthology.
Nair has also written a few other books, such as Mistress (2003), Adventures of Nonu, the Skating Squirrel (2006), Living Next Door to Alise (2007) and Magical Indian Myths (2008). Nair's works also include many travelogues.[8] With the play Nine Faces of Being, best-selling author Anita Nair has become a playwright. The story, is adapted from Nair’s book Mistress[9]
Her sixth novel Idris: Keeper of The Light (2014) is a historical and geographical novel about a Somalian trader who visited Malabar in 1659 AD.[10]
Awards & Recognitions
- Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in May 2012 for her contribution to Literature and Culture
- Arch of Excellence Award by the All India Achievers’ Conference, New Delhi for Literature.
- Nair was named a finalist for the 2007 PEN/Beyond Margins Award in the U.S.A.[11]
- Nair was nominated a finalist for LiBeraturpreis 2007 in Germany.[11]
- Mistress was on the long list for the Orange prize for fiction for 2008.[12]
- FLO FICCI Women Achievers Award in 2008 for Literature[12]
- Montblanc honored her in 2009 with the launch of the Special Edition writing instrument in India; for her novel contribution to literature, enforcing cross cultural endeavors and enlightening experiences that have transcended an inexhaustible diversity of forms - barriers of language, cultures and identities.[13]
- Idris Keeper Of The Light was shortlisted for The Hindu Literary Prize in 2014[14]
- Global ambassador for Women for Expo May 2015
Bibliography[15]
1997
Satyr of the Subway & Eleven Other Stories
2000
The Better Man
2001
Ladies Coupé
2002
Malabar Mind - Poetry
2003
Where the Rain is Born - Writings about Kerala (Editor)
2004
Puffin Book of World Myths and Legends
2005
Mistress
2006
Adventures of Nonu, the Skating Squirrel
2007
Living Next Door To Alise
2008
Magical Indian Myths
Goodnight & God Bless
2010
Lessons In Forgetting
2011
Malabar Mind
Chemmeen (Translator)
2012
Cut Like Wound – Literary noir
2014
Idris – Historical novel
References
- ↑ Anita Nair (21 August 2015). "A post office of my own". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ↑ "Interview from Kerala.com". Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ↑ My Secret Life: Anita Nair
- ↑ "B’day bumps - Bangalore Mirror -". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ↑ "Author Anita Nair's Bangalore home is a bright and creative space : Home - India Today". indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ↑ Anita Nair Biography
- 1 2 culturebase.net. "Anita Nair artist portrait". culturebase.net. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ↑ "Language in India". Language in India. 2009-10-10. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ↑ Author Anita Nair's story taking shape on stage
- ↑ Idris: Keeper of The Light (2014)
- 1 2 "Mistress- Synopsis and awards". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
- 1 2 "Kerala Interviews,Interview of the week". Kerala.com. Retrieved 2013-08-02.
- ↑ "Latest news about Anita Nair - Author of The Better Man & Ladies Coupe. Published by Penguin & Picador". www.anitanair.net. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
- ↑ "Here's the shortlist". The Hindu. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ "Anita Nair - Bibliography". www.anitanair.net. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
External links
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