S. Ramakrishnan

S. Ramakrishnan
எஸ். ராமகிருஷ்ணன்
Born (1966-04-13) April 13, 1966
Tamil Nadu, India
Residence Chennai, Tamilnadu
Spouse(s) Chandraprabha
Children Hari
Akash
Parent(s)
  • N.Shanmugam
  • S.Mangayarkarasi
Website sramakrishnan.com

S. Ramakrishnan is an influentially important writer of modern Tamil literature. He is a full-time writer who has been active over the last 27 years in diverse areas of Tamil literature like short stories, novels, plays, children’s literature and translations. He has written and published 9 novels, 20 collections of short stories, 3 plays, 21 books for children, 3 books of translation, 24 collections of articles, 10 books on world cinema, 16 books on world literature including seven of his lectures, 3 books on Indian history, 3 on painting and 4 edited volumes including a Reader on his own works. He also has 2 collections of interviews to his credit.[1]

Early life

Born in 1966, he is a native of Mallankinar village of Virudhunagar district of Tamilnadu. His father N.Shanmugam was a veterinary doctor. His mother is S.Mangayarkarasi. He studied M.A in Senthilkumar Nadar College, Virudhunagar, Tamilnadu. And he did his M.Phil in Madurai Kamarajar University and Ph.D in Calicut University. But he left before submitting the thesis.

Writing career

About his first book he says: “I was not a writer when my first book ‘veLiyil oruvan’ was published. Until then I was just writing whatever I wanted to write, but I was not a writer; even after my first book came out…” and “…but now I know the direction, purpose and strength of the written word. I didn’t know that then. It is like how a child with a camera takes pictures of whatever she sees… I was like that child."[2]

His short stories and articles have been translated and published in English, Malayalam, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and French.

His novel Upa Paandavam, written after a deep research into Mahabharata, was selected as the best novel in Tamil. It was widely well received by the readers.

The novel Nedum Kuruthi, which spoke of the dark and tragic existential experiences of the tribe of oppressed people cruelly stamped as criminal tribe by the British, secured the Gnanavaani award for the Best Novel.

His novel Yaamam, written with Chennai city’s three hundred years history as back drop, is another widely appreciated creation.

His Urupasi is a novel that conveys the stirring mental agonies of a young man who was unemployed because he took his degree majoring in Tamil language.

He became a celebrated author to lakhs of readers through his series of articles like Thunai Ezhuthu, Desandhri, Kathavilaasam, Kelvikuri and Siridhu Velicham which appeared in the highly circulated Tamil weekly, Ananda Vikatan. He is the first writer in Tamil to have created a broad circle of readers for his columns. The compilation book of the articles, Thunai Ezhuthu, has created a new history by selling almost a lakh of copies.

Writing style

His short stories are noted for their modern story-telling style in Tamil. He says in an interview: “As a storyteller, it’s vital that I observe people, their mannerisms and keep myself aware of present trends…” and “…I keep myself surrounded by youngsters who I learn a lot from. I think it is such company that keeps me revitalised to write more and more stories.”[3]

He explains the magical nature of his stories quite simply – “The reason why my stories have a magical aspect is because I am unable to separate Magic from Realism.”[4]

Literary activism

A great story-teller, he has organized over thirty story-telling camps for school children, all over Tamilnadu. He has organized a special story-telling camp for children with dyslexia-related learning disabilities. 

He says in an interview: “We have a rich tradition of PaaNans and Koothars going around places singing and creating poetry in the Sangam period. I am just a modern day PaaNan who goes to places, meets people, talks to them and tells their stories.”[5]

He had, as Editor, brought out the literary publication, Atcharam for five long years.

His website www.sramakrishnan.com serves as a resource for serious literature for young readers. It has become an important website where contemporary literary innovations, world literature and world cinema congregate in a fertile ambience. It has secured 5 million visits from readers all over the world.

Films and other adoptions (contributions in movie and theatre performances)

A connoisseur of world cinema, he has compiled an introductory compendium on world cinema with thousand pages called Ulaga Cinema. He has written ten important books on cinema such as Ayal Cinema, Pather Panchali, Chithirangalin Vichithirangal and Paesa Therindha Nizhalgal. Irul Inithu Oli Inithu, Chaplinudan Pesungal.

He has organized screenplay writing camps for short film directors and students of cinema creation in important cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, etc.

His collection of 9 plays, Aravaan (Uyirmmai Publications), 3 plays, Sindhubaadhin Manaivi (Kayalkavin Publications) and Sooriyanai sutrum boomi (translated plays, Kayalkavin Publications) create new possibilities for theater space on facing power, breaking up historical and cultural images and focusing on psychological eccentricities. These plays have received good appreciation while they were staged and have been performed at the national drama festival of Sangeetha Natak Academy. The play 'Aravaan', included in this collection has been translated in to English, Malayalam and Kannada.

The short film Karna Motcham with his screenplay won the National Award for Best Short Film and went on to win, so far, 27 important awards in Indian and International Film Festivals.

Another short film Matraval has won three coveted awards as the best Tamil Short Film.

He has worked as Screenplay and Dialogue writer in Tamil feature films like Baba, Album, Chandaikkozhi, Unnale Unnale, Bhima, Dhaam Dhoom, Chikku Bukku, Modhi Vilaiyadu , Yuvan Yuvathi and Avan Ivan, Samar and Idam PoruL EvaL.

Personal Life

S. Ramakrishnan lives in Chennai with wife Chandra Prabha and sons Hariprasad and Akash.

He has travelled all over India and has experienced living in different parts of the country.

He says, in an interview: “I am a full-time writer and so I mark my holidays in red in my calendar. I wander in the path of my desire. For this, I have paid dearly and suffered disgrace. Inspite of all that, I like this life only. From my childhood, I have this habit of observing nature closely. Because of that, I started moving out of my home. At my young age, the doorstep was far away from me. Then, I crossed our doorstep. The street was far away and I was allowed in the street. Then I could move around the village freely, but was forbidden to go to other villages. I crossed that barrier. Then my family allowed me to go to small towns but not large cities. I crossed that too. Now I have no distinction between my home and this entire world. Journey without destination and people unknown are my interests.”[6]

Rewards and Recognition

No Award Year Remarks
1 Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award 1993 For Best Young playwright
2 Best Novel Award  2001 From Progressive Writers’ Union
3 Gnanavaani Award 2004 For the best literary contribution
4 Best book Award 2006 From Tamilnadu Government
5 Tagore Literary Award[7] 2010 For Yaamam novel
6 Wisdom Young Achiever Award 2010 For the best literary contribution
7 Salem Tamil Sangam award 2010 For the best literary contribution
8 Iyal award[8] 2011 For Lifetime achievement from the Tamil Literary Garden, Canada
9 Thisai Ettum Award 2014 Sponsored by Nalli
10 Periyar award 2014 For the best literary contribution
11 Maxim Gorky award 2015 For introduced the Russian literature
12 CKK Literary Award 2015 For the best literary contribution
13 Kannadasn Literary Award 2015 For the best literary contribution

Three Doctorates and 21 M.Phil. Degrees have been awarded to scholars for researching into his writings. His books have been prescribed as part of syllabi of 2 Universities and 9 Autonomous Colleges.

Bibliography

Novels

No Title Year of publication
1 upapaaNdavam 2000
2 Nedungurudhi 2003
3 uRupasi 2005
4 Yaamam 2007
5 Thuyil 2010
6 Nimitham 2013
7 Sanjaaram 2014
8 Idakkai 2016
9 Padhin 2017

Short stories

No Title Year of Publication
1 veLiyil oruvan 1990
2 kaattin uruvam 1993
3 veyilaik kondu vaarungaL 2001
4 Paalyanadhi 2003
5 nadandu sellum neerootru 2006
6 taavarangaLin uraiyaadal 2007
7 peyarillaadha oorin pagalveLai 2008
8 padhinettaam nootraandin mazhai 2008
9 nagulan veettil yaarumillai 2009
10 appodhum kadal paarthukondirundhadhu 2010
11 buddanaavadhu sulabam 2011
12 mazhai maan 2012
13 gandhiyodu pesuven 2013
14 kudhiraigaL pesa marukkinrana 2013
15 S.Ramakrishnan kadhaigaL Volume 1 2014
16 S.Ramakrishnan kadhaigaL Volume 2 2014
17 S.Ramakrishnan kadhaigaL Volume 3 2014
18 neerilum nadakkalaam 2014
19 enna solgiRaai sudare 2015
20 cycle kamalathin thangai 2016

Plays

No Title Year of Publication
1 Aravaan 2006
2 sindhubaathin manaivi 2013
3 sooriyanai chutrum bhoomi 2013

Children literature

No Title Year of Publication
1 ezhu thalainagaram 2005
2 kiRu kiRu vaanam 2006
3 kaal muLaitha kathaigaL 2006
4 neeLa naaku 2011
5 Pampazhaapam 2011
6 ezhudha therindha puli 2011
7 kaasu kaLLan 2011
8 thalaiyillaadha paiyan 2011
9 enaku ean kanavu varudhu 2011
10 laali pale 2011
11 Akkadaa 2013
12 sirikum vaguppaRai 2013
13 veLLai raaNi 2014
14 aNdasaraasaram 2014
15 Socrates in sivappu noolagam 2014
16 kaRpanai kudhirai 2014
17 padikka therindha singam 2016
18 meesaiyillaadha apple 2016
19 poonaiyin manaivi 2016
20 iRakai virikum maram 2016
21 ulagin miga chiRiya thavaLai 2016

Seven lectures

No Title Year of Publication
1 Tolstoy 2013
2 Dostoyevsky 2013
3 Basho 2013
4 Shakespeare 2013
5 Hemingway 2013
6 Homer 2013
7 aayirathu oru araabia iravugaL 2013

Essays on World literarture

No Title Year of Publication
1 vaakiyangaLin saalai 2002
2 vizhithirupavanin iravu 2005
3 nam kaalathu novelhaL 2008
4 adhe iravu adhe varigaL 2008
5 endRaar Borges 2009
6 Chekovin meedhu pani peigiradhu 2010
7 Galileo maNdiyidavillai 2011
8 enadharumai Tolstoy 2011
9 Kafka ezhudhaadha kaditham 2014

Essays on Poetry

No Title Year of Publication
1 koozhaangaRkaL paaduginRana 2011

Essays on Painting

No Title Year of Publication
1 chithirangaLin visithirangaL 2008
2 Picassovin kodugaL 2012
3 aayiram vaNNangaL 2016

Essays on Cinema

No Title Year of Publication
1 padher paanjaali 2006
2 ayal cinema 2007
3 ulaga cinema 2008
4 pesatherindha nizhalgaL 2009
5 Chaplinodu pesungaL 2011
6 paRavai koNam 2012
7 Samuraigal kaathirukkiRaargaL 2013
8 naangaavathu cinema 2014
9 iruL inidhu oLi inidhu 2014
10 kutRathin kaNgaL 2016

Anthologies of Essays

No Title Year of Publication
1 thuNaiyezhuthu 2004
2 Kadhaavilaasam 2005
3 Desandhri 2006
4 keLvikuRi 2007
5 ilaigaLai viyakkum maram 2007
6 Aadhalinaal 2008
7 kaatril yaaro nadakkiRaargaL 2008
8 malaigal sapthamiduvathillai 2009
9 vaasaga parvam 2009
10 kuRathi mudukkin kanavugaL 2010
11 kaaN enRadhu iyaRkai 2010
12 siRidhu veLicham 2010
13 rayileRiya graamam 2012
14 Ialkkillaadha payaNi 2013
15 pullinum siRiyadhu 2014
16 Hiroshimavil maNigaL olikkinRana 2014
17 uNavu yuddham 2014
18 veedilla puthagangaL 2015
19 India vaanam 2016
20 indRillai eninum 2016
21 Chekov vaazhgiRaar 2016
22 nilam keattadhu kadal sonnadhu 2016
23 Nilavazhi 2016

History - Non fiction

No Title Year of Publication
1 kodugaL illaadha varaipadam 2008
2 enadhu india 2012
3 maRaikkapatta india 2013

Interviews

No Title Year of Publication
1 eppodhumirukkum kadhai 2007
2 pesi kadandha thooram 2011

Other books - Edited volumes

No Title Year of Publication
1 endrum sujatha 2011
2 S.Ramakrishnan ezhuthulagam 2011
3 Vaanengum paRavaigaL 2012
4 nooRu siRandha siRukadhaigaL 2013

Translation

No Title Year of Publication
1 Alice in aRpudha ulagam 1993
2 nambikkaiyin parimaaNangaL 1994
3 paadhaiyillaadha payaNam 2002

Filmography

No Title Language Year of release
1 Baba Tamil 2002
2 Album Tamil 2002
3 Popcorn Tamil 2003
4 Sandaikozhi Tamil 2005
5 Unnaale unnaale Tamil 2007
6 Bheema Tamil 2008
7 Dhaam dhoom Tamil 2008
8 Modhi viLaiyaadu Tamil 2009
9 Chikku bhukku Tamil 2010
10 Pesu Tamil unreleased 
11 Avan ivan Tamil 2011
12 Samar Tamil 2013
13 Son epouse French 2014
14 Idam poruL eval Tamil unreleased 

Shortfilms

No Title Language Year of Release
1 karNa motcham Tamil 2012
2 tharamaNiyil karappaan poochigaL Tamil 2012
3 matRavaL Tamil 2014
4 Kokkarako Tamil 2014
5 veettukaNakku Tamil 2014
6 Pidaaran Tamil 2014
7 Vaazhkkai Tamil 2014
8 thingaL Tamil 2015
9 oru koppai theneer Tamil 2015
10 iru kumizhigaL Tamil 2015
11 Clean bowled 2016

References

  1. ↑ "Welcome to Sramakrishnan". www.sramakrishnan.com. Retrieved 2017-07-26.
  2. ↑ "Interview". Puthagam pesudhu: page 42. June 2011. வெளியில் ஒருவன் என்று ஒரு புத்தகம் வரும்போது நான் எழுத்தாளன் இல்லை. அந்தப் புத்தகம் வரும்வரைக்கும் ஏதோ எனக்கு விருப்பமான விஷயங்களை எழுதிக்கொண்டிருந்த ஆளாக இருந்தேனே தவிர எழுத்தாளராக இல்லை. அந்தப் புத்தகம் வந்தபோதும் ஆகவில்லை’…… ‘இப்போது எனக்கு எழுத்தின் திசை தெரியும். அதன் நோக்கம், வலிமை தெரியும். அன்றைக்கு அது தெரியாது. எப்படியென்றால் கையில் கேமரா உள்ள ஒரு குழந்தை கண்ணுக்குத் தட்டுப்படுவதையெல்லாம் படம் பிடிக்குமே… அதுமாதிரியான ஒரு ஆள்தான் (அப்போது).
  3. ↑ [www.madrasplus.com "Interview"] Check |url= value (help). ET Madras Plus. February 3rd 2012. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ↑ "Interview". Puthagam pesudhu: page 37. June 2011. என் கதைகளில் கூட மிகைத்தன்மை ஏன் இருக்கிறதென்றால், எதார்த்தத்தையும் மிகைத்தன்மையையும் என்னால் பிரித்துப்பார்க்க முடியவில்லை.
  5. ↑ "Interview". Puthagam pesudhu: page 33. June 2011. சங்க காலத்தில் பாணர்கள், கூத்தர்கள் ஊர் ஊராகச் சென்று பாடி இசைத்து கவிதை சொன்ன மரபு நமக்கு இருக்கிறது. நான் நவீன காலத்து பாணனாக இருக்கிறேன். நான் ஊர் ஊராகப் போய் மக்களைச் சந்தித்து பேசிப் பழகி அவர்களின் கதைகளைச் சொல்லக்கூடிய பாணன் தான்.
  6. ↑ "Interview". Puthagam pesudhu: page 35. June 2011. நான் முழுநேர எழுத்தாளன், ஆகவே எனது விடுமுறை நாட்களை காலண்டரில் நான் சிவப்பு வண்ணமிட்டுக் கொள்கிறேன். என் விருப்பத்தின் பாதையில் அலைந்து திரிகிறேன். இதற்கு நான் கொடுத்த விலையும் அவமானமும் அதிகமானது. ஆனாலும் இந்த வாழ்வே எனக்குப் பிடித்திருக்கிறது. எனக்கு சிறு வயது முதலே இயற்கையை கூர்ந்து நோக்கும் பழக்கம் இருந்ததால் வீட்டை விட்டு வெளியில் செல்ல ஆரம்பித்தேன். சிறிய வயதில் வீட்டின் படிக்கட்டு எனக்கு தூரமாக இருந்தது. பிறகு படியை விட்டு இறங்கினேன். தெரு தூரமாக இருந்தது. தெருவரைக்கும் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டேன். பிறகு ஊருக்குள் எவ்வளவு வேண்டுமானாலும் சுற்றலாம்; வெளியூர் போகக்கூடாது என்றிருந்தது. அதைக் கடந்தேன். பின்பு அடுத்த ஊருக்குப் போகலாம், ஆனால் பெரிய நகரத்துக்குப் போகக்கூடாது என்று குடும்பம் தடுத்தது. அதையும் கடந்து சென்றேன். இப்போது உலகம் வீடு என்ற பேதம் என்னிடமில்லை. இலக்கில்லாத பயணமும் அறியாத மனிதர்களுமே என் விருப்பமானவர்களாக இருக்கிறார்கள்.
  7. ↑ "S Ramakrishnan on winning the Tagore Literary Award".
  8. ↑ "Welcome to Tamil Literary Garden". tamilliterarygarden.com. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
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