P. Vatsala

P. Vatsala
Born
Parakkulathil Vatsala

(1939-08-28)28 August 1939
Calicut, Malabar District, Madras Province, British India
(present-day Kozhikode, Kerala, India)
Died21 November 2023(2023-11-21) (aged 84)
Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Occupations
  • Writer
  • Teacher
Writing career
SubjectsNovel, short story
Websitewww.vatsalap.com

Parakkulathil Vatsala (28 August 1939 – 21 November 2023) was an Indian Malayalam novelist, short story writer, and social activist from Kerala. She is a recipient of Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2021, the highest literary honour by the government of Kerala. She is only the fifth woman to receive the award since its institution in 1993.

Vatsala was also a recipient of Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award 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 C. V. Kunhiraman Memorial Sahitya Award.

A former headmistress, Vatsala also held the post of Chairperson of Kerala Sahitya Akademi. She was associated with PuKaSa, a left-leaning cultural movement, but lately she had been supportive of Hindu right-wing organisations.

Vatsala resided in Kozhikode district, in northern Kerala. She died from heart failure on 21 November 2023, at the age of 85.

Selected works

Short stories
Novels

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "പി.വൽസല അന്തരിച്ചു; മലയാളത്തിന്റെ പ്രിയകഥാകാരി, കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി മുൻ അധ്യക്ഷ" (in Malayalam). manoramaONLINE. 22 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "അങ്ങനെ പി. പേരിന്റെ കൂടെ". manoramaONLINE. 22 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "Telling her story". The Hindu. 9 May 2008. Archived from the original on 23 May 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  4. ↑ "Writer-activist P Vatsala wins Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Kerala's highest literary honour". Onmanorama. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  5. ↑ "Writer-activist P Vatsala wins Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Kerala's highest literary honour". OnManorama. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  6. ↑ "SAHITHYA ACADEMI AWARD WINNERS# from 1959 to 1999". malayalampadam.com. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  7. ↑ "P. Valsala gets Sahithya Academy top post". Malayala Manorama. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  8. ↑ "P Valsala to chair Sahitya Akademi". The Indian Express. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.[permanent dead link]
  9. ↑ Amiya Meethal (2 November 2021). "Ezhuthachan Awardee Valsala highlighted social realities with focus on women and nature". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  10. ↑ Ashokan Charuvil (11 October 2013). "വയനാട്ടില്‍ നിന്ന് വള്ളിക്കാവിലേക്ക്". Risala Weekly. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  11. ↑ S. R. Praveen (17 July 2015). "P.Valsala — Journey from a progressive to a true saffron sanghi". Medium.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  12. ↑ "Writer P. Valsala passes away at 85". The Hindu. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Muttathu Varkey award for P. Valsala". The Hindu. 29 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  14. ↑ "P Valsala bags Muttathu Varkey award". Mathrubhumi. 29 April 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  15. ↑ "P. Valsala bags Kunhiraman Award". 28 March 2012.
  16. ↑ "Kerala Sahitya Akademi fellowships for P. Valsala, N.V.P. Unithiri". The Hindu. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2022.