Vannadasan’s stories resonate with Tamiraparani

CHENNAI: Sixteen years after his father Thi. Ka. Sivasankaran, a familiar literary critic, won the prestigious literary award, this Tamil writer achieves a rare feat by claiming Sahitya Akademi. Known in the literary circle for his distinctive trait of chiselling characters with finer details, Vannadasan always has a penchant for ‘aesthetic portrayal’ tinged with realism.

The collection of short stories titled ‘Oru Siru Isai’, penned by Vannadasan, who also writes poetry in the name of Kalyanji, won him the country’s coveted literary award Sahitya Akademi for the current year.
The award came as a surprise for the writer because he had not dreamt of it ever, even when his father won it in 2000.

“I have never aspired for such big awards. However, now my joy knows no bounds,” an exalted Vannadasan told Express.

Instead of bringing more repute for him, the award would record his literary works for posterity, the story teller hopes.

He says, “It is a honour for my 54 years of writing. It is a basic acknowledgment of  my works. Will keep my works for posterity.” Beginning his literary career in 1962, when his first short story, Mahane Poi Sollathe ( Son, don’t say lie), Vannadasan has published 13 collections of short stories and an equal number of poetry penned in the name of Kalyanji, besides two prose collections and one epistle,  till now. The short story collection, which fetched him the prestigious award, delves into the life of people living in the town around Tamiraparani river. 

“The title of the story itself suggests the sound of the quietly flowing in the Tamiraparani,” explained Dr S Mahadevan, a Tamil scholar who did research on Vannadasan’s literary works for his PhD.

Seventy-year-old Vannadasan, whose real name is S Kalyanasundaram, is a retired official of the State Bank of India. The Sahitya Akademi awardee, rooted in strong literary background, says the inspiration was drawn from his father known in literary circle as Thi.Ka.Si.

According to Mahadevan, who is also the Head of Department of Tamil, Sadakadhullah Appa College, Thirunelveli, all works of the Vannadasan have been bringing to the fore love and interpersonal relationship in family life in a delicate way.