Anand (writer)

2025-10-29T07:14:08Z

61.95.168.122: updated layout after review and updated info

{{Short description|Indian writer (born 1936)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox writer 
| name = P. Sachidanandan
| image = Anand p sachidanandan-2.jpg
| pseudonym = Anand
| birth_name = P. Sachidanandan
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1936}}
| birth_place = [[Irinjalakkuda]], [[Kerala]], India
| death_place =
| occupation = Writer, author
| notableworks = ''Aalkkoottam (1970)''<br>''Marubhoomikal Undakunnathu'' (1989)<br>''Jaivamanushyan'' (1991)<br>''Govardhande Yathrakal'' (1995)
| awards = {{ublist|1981 [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story]]|1985 [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel]]|1993 [[Vayalar Award]]|1996 [[Odakkuzhal Award]]|1994 [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Scholarly Literature]]|1997 [[Sahitya Akademi Award]]|2000 [[Muttathu Varkey Award]]|2015 [[Vallathol Award]]| 2019 [[Ezhuthachan Puraskaram]]}}
}}
'''P. Sachidanandan''' (born 1936), who uses the [[pseudonym]] '''Anand''', is an Indian writer, writing primarily in [[Malayalam]]. He is one of the known living intellectuals in India. His works are noted for their philosophical flavor, historical context and their [[humanism]]. He is a recipient of the [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] and three [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]s ([[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story|story]], [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel|novel]], and [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Scholarly Literature|scholarly literature]]). He is also a recipient of [[Ezhuthachan Puraskaram]], [[Vayalar Award]], [[Odakkuzhal Award]], [[Muttathu Varkey Award]], [[Vallathol Award]] and Yashpal Award. He did not accept the Yashpal Award and the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel]].

==Life==
Sachidanandan was born in 1936 to a primary school teacher at [[Irinjalakuda]] in the [[Thrissur district]] (Trichur) of [[Kerala]].<ref name="Anand (P.Sachidanandan) -- Malayalam Writer">{{Cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/delhi/salrp/anand.html |title=Anand (P.Sachidanandan) -- Malayalam Writer |date=2019-01-25 |website=www.loc.gov |publisher=The South Asian Literary Recordings Project (Library of Congress New Delhi Office) |access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref> He graduated in [[Civil Engineering]] from [[College of Engineering, Trivandrum]] in 1958. He retired as Planning Director of the Central Water Commission after a career which included extended stints working in [[Gujarat]], [[Mumbai]] and [[Bengal]]. He also worked in the military ([[North-East Frontier Agency]]) for four years during 1966–70 in the Short Service Commission.<ref name="Anand - Sahapedia interview">{{Cite web |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/anand-0 |title=Anand - Sahapedia interview |date=2019-02-28 |website=www.sahapedia.org |access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref>

Anand resides in Delhi.<ref name="Anand: Doyen of Malayalam Literature">{{Cite web |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/anand-doyen-of-malayalam-literature |title=Anand: Doyen of Malayalam Literature |date=2016-06-29 |website=Sahapedia |language=en |access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref>

==Writing==
It was the famous critic [[M. Govindan]] who helped Anand publish his maiden novel ''Alkkoottam''.<ref name="Anand - Chintha profile">{{Cite web |url=http://www.chintha.com/node/420 |title=Anand - Chintha profile |date=2019-01-25 |website=www.chintha.com |access-date=2019-01-25 |archive-date=25 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183235/http://www.chintha.com/node/420 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At age 34, it was his first ever published work. It was a new experience for the Malayalee readers and the book received rave reviews and pungent criticisms alike. He followed ''Alkkoottam'' (Crowd) with three more equally abstract novels: ''Maranacertificate'' (Death Certificate), ''Abhayarthikal'' (Refugees) and ''Utharayanam''. These books made Anand a writer with considerable standing in Malayalam. But it was in the late eighties and early nineties that Anand came up with two more novels, ''Marubhoomikal Undakunnathu'' and ''Govardhanante Yaathrakal'', which made him an icon in Malayalam literature.

Contemporary Malayalam writer [[M. Mukundan]] made the following comment about Anand's style.
<blockquote>
Anand's is the most articulate voice in Kerala today, which questions the moral premises of politics and most importantly, resists Hindu fundamentalism. His essays and novels unmistakably establish a metaphor of resistance. The prose in Anand's novels is taut - no moon will ever rise in it, nor flowers blossom or river breezes waft through. His language, stripped to the bone, sometimes challenges the reader to go through it.
</blockquote>

Anand has also written many short stories and articles, most of which deal with plight of the ordinary people who are exploited by the people in power. His characters are not necessarily a Malayali, and often weaves in historical elements into his stories. More often they are also located outside Kerala. He is also a prolific essayist. He occasionally writes poems also.

==Awards==
[[File:Anand in 2017.jpg|thumb|Anand in Kozhikode at 2017]]
* [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story]], 1981<ref name="Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Stories.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story |date=2019-01-25 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705154727/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Stories.htm |archive-date=5 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel]], 1985<ref name="Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/novel.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel |date=2019-01-25 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109145935/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/novel.htm |archive-date=9 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Vayalar Award]], 1993<ref name="Winners of Vayalar Award">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralaculture.org/ |title=Winners of Vayalar Award |date=2019-01-25 |website=www.keralaculture.org |language=en |access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref>
* [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Scholarly Literature]], 1994<ref name="Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Miscellaneous">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/others_contd.htm#Vivarthanam |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Miscellaneous |date=2019-01-25 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705044712/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/others_contd.htm#Vivarthanam |archive-date=5 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Odakkuzhal Award]], 1996<ref name="Winners of Odakkuzhal Award">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralaculture.org/ |title=Winners of Odakkuzhal Award |date=2019-01-25 |website=www.keralaculture.org |language=en |access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref>
* [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Malayalam|Sahitya Akademi Award]], 1997<ref name=":0" />
* [[Muttathu Varkey Award]], 2000
* [[Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize]], 2012
* [[Vallathol Award]], 2015<ref>{{cite news|title=Vallathol Award for Anand|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/vision-and-intellect/article7644275.ece|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 September 2015}}</ref>
* [[Ezhuthachan Puraskaram]], 2019<ref name="Writer Anand selected for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/anand-bags-ezhuthachan-puraskaram/article29855845.ece |title=Writer Anand selected for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram |date=2019-11-01 |work=The Hindu |access-date=2019-11-02 |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Criticisms==
The 'abstractness' of Anand's writing has been a cause for criticism, from people alleging he does not actually name concrete people and organizations, instead relying on a historical and abstract narrative, even in his political essays. [[Balachandran Chullikkadu]], a well-known poet in Malayalam, once said that Anand is the messiah of NGOs.

==Books by Anand==
=== Novels and novellas ===
* [[Marana Certificate]] (Death Certificate ) ''Current Books. 1974. {{ISBN|9788122612189}}.''
* {{Cite book|title=Marubhoomikal Undakunnathu (The Deserts come into existence)|last=|publisher=DC Books|year=1989|isbn=9788171302017|location=Kottayam, Kerala State, India|oclc=898852623}}
* {{Cite book|title=Govardhante Yathrakal (Govardhanan's Travels)|last=|publisher=DC Books|year=1995|id={{ASIN|8171305482|country=in}}}} Received 1997 Sahitya Akademi Award <ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=April 2, 2007|title=Anand's book Govardhan's Travels talks about life experiences|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/19700101-govardhan-s-travels-a-novel-by-anand-748589-2007-04-02|access-date=2021-10-05|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref>
* {{Cite book|title=Vyaasanum Vighneswaranum|last=|date=1996|publisher=DC Books|isbn=8171305482|location=Kottayam|oclc=37769967}}
* [[Aalkkoottam]] ''(The Crowd) (1st DCB ed.). Kōṭṭayaṃ: DC Books. 1998. {{ISBN|8171304397}}.''
* Utharayanam ''(in Malayalam). DC Books.''
* {{Cite book|title=Abhayarthikal (The Refugees)|last=|date=2001|publisher=DC Books|isbn=817130141X|location=Kōṭṭayaṃ|oclc=53328951}}
* {{Cite book|title=Apaharikkapetta Daivangal|last=|date=2001|publisher=DC Books|isbn=812640390X|location=Kottayam|oclc=50913230}}
* {{Cite book|title=Samharathinte Pusthakam (The Book of Destruction)|last=|date=2005|publisher=DC Books|isbn=8126409967|location=[Kottayam]|oclc=61261101}}
* {{Cite book|title=Vibhajanangal|last=|date=2006|publisher=DC Books|isbn=8126411856|location=[Kottayam]|oclc=70200274}}
* {{Cite book|title=Parinamathinte Bhoothangal (The Ghosts of Evolution)|last=|publisher=DC Books|year=2007|isbn=9788126417070}}
* {{Cite book|title=Dweepukalum Theerangalum (Islands and Shores)|last=|date=2010|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126427000|location=Kottayam|oclc=660089123}}
* {{Cite book|title=Anandinte Novellakal|last=|year=2014|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126451005|location=Kottayam, Kerala State, India|oclc=907750487}}

=== Short story collection ===
* {{Cite book|title=Kathakal 2002-2012|last=|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126478040|page=213}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.in/Asantham-Anand/dp/B007E4WX1Y|title=Asantham|last=|date=2005|publisher=DC Books|asin=B007E4WX1Y}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://kslc.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=2187|title=Veedum Thadavum (Home and Prison)|last=|publisher=SPCS|year=1980}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://kslc.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=2189|title=Odiyunna Kurisu (The Breaking Cross)|last=|publisher=SPCS|year=1982}}
* {{Cite book|title=Samvādaṃ (kathakaḷ)|last=|date=1987|publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ : Nāṣanal Bukkst̲āḷ|location=Kōṭṭayaṃ|oclc=19326154}}
* {{Cite book|title=Nalamathe Aani (The Fourth Nail)|last=|date=1999|publisher=DC Books|isbn=8171309410|location=Kottayam|oclc=42737283}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/ente-priyappetta-kathakal-anand|title=Ente Priyappetta Kathakal|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126479702|page=131|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183424/http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/ente-priyappetta-kathakal-anand|url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/irippu-nilppu-ezhunnelppu|title=Irippu Nilppu Ezhunnelppu|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126477517|year=2018|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183330/http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/irippu-nilppu-ezhunnelppu|url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/vruthanthangalum-kathakalum|title=Vruthanthangalum Kathakalum|publisher=DC Books|isbn=978-81-264-6960-4|page=230|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183439/http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/vruthanthangalum-kathakalum|url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite book|title=Charithr̲akāṇḍaṃ|date=2003|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126406418|location=Kottayam|oclc=55680321}}

=== Dramas ===
* ''Savaghoshyathra''<ref name="Raṇṭu nāṭakaṅṅaḷ">{{Cite book |title=Raṇṭu nāṭakaṅṅaḷ |last=Anand |date=1998 |publisher=Prabhat Book House |oclc = 41143454}}</ref>
* ''Mukthipadham''<ref name="Raṇṭu nāṭakaṅṅaḷ" />

=== Other books ===
* {{Cite book|title=Jaiva Manushyan (The Biological Man)|publisher=DC Books|year=2006|isbn=8171302173|location=Kottayam, Kerala State, India|oclc=888466925}}
* {{Cite book|title=Prakriti, Paristhithi, Daaridryam, Jalam, Oorjam|date=2007|publisher=DC Books|isbn=978-8126415359|location=[Kottayam]|oclc=180690158}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://www.maebag.com/Product/3160/Kannadi%20Lokam|title=Kannadi Lokam (Essays and Criticism)|publisher=Current Books|isbn=9788122611694|page=320|language=Malayalam|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183741/https://www.maebag.com/Product/3160/Kannadi%20Lokam|url-status=usurped}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://keralabookstore.com/book/nashta-pradesangal/2977/|title=Nashta Pradesangal|publisher=Current Books|year=2014|isbn=9788122611687|page=150|language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book|title=Sthanam Thettiya Vasthu|year=2014|publisher=Mathrubhumi Books|isbn=9788182659070|location=Kozhikode, Keralam, India|oclc=966971787}}
* {{Cite book|title=Ezhuthu Pusthakam Muthal Yudhamvare|date=2009|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126424276|location=Kottayam|oclc=445486784}}
* {{Cite book|title=Vitavukal Enna Krishibhoomi|publisher=DC Books|isbn=978-81-264-3705-4|page=234}}
* {{Cite book|title=Sandarbhangal Sandehangal|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126476893}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/dweepukalum-theerangalum|title=Dweepukalum Theerangalum|year=2010|publisher=DC Books|isbn=978-81-264-2700-0|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183459/http://ebooks.dcbooks.com/dweepukalum-theerangalum|url-status=dead}}

=== Poems ===
* {{Cite book|url=http://keralabookstore.com/book/thadhagatham/4098/|title=Thadhagatham|publisher=Mathrubhumi Books|year=2013|page=96|language=Malayalam}}

=== Translations in English ===
* {{Cite book|title=The death certificate|date=1992|publisher=Sangam|isbn=0863113168|location=London|page=103|oclc=28336910}}
* {{Cite book|title=Desert shadows|date=1998|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=0140278249|location=New Delhi|oclc=40331710}}
* {{Cite book|url=http://www.aspresolver.com/aspresolver.asp?SALI;1000604469|title=Twilight encounters: the fourth nail and other stories|date=2002|publisher=Rupa & Co.|location=New Delhi|language=English}}
* {{Cite book|title=Govardhan's travels : a novel|date=2006|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=0143101331|location=New Delhi|oclc=124032056}}
* {{Cite book|title=The book of destruction|date=2012|publisher=Penguin India|isbn=9780143068464|location=New Delhi|page=248|oclc=818535996}}
* {{Cite book|title=Twilight encounters : the fourth nail and other stories|date=2002|publisher=Rupa & Co|isbn=8171676561|location=New Delhi|oclc=50424829}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/anand-0 |title=Noted Malayali writer and intellectual Anand talks about his life and works |date=2016-06-06 |website=Sahapedia |language=en |access-date=2019-01-25}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Anand (writer)}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTtj0kdw45Y |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/BTtj0kdw45Y |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Anand: Thoughts and Works |date=June 3, 2016 |website=YouTube |publisher= Sahapedia |access-date=2019-01-25}}{{cbignore}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://anandtranslated.wordpress.com/ |title=Anand Translated (A blog featuring Anand's works) |date=2019-01-25 |website=Anand Translated |language=en |access-date=2019-01-25}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://frontlineonnet.com/fl1911/19110740.htm |title=Soulful and cerebral (M.Mukundan's review of Twilight Encounters |date=2019-01-25 |access-date=2019-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210110503/http://frontlineonnet.com/fl1911/19110740.htm |archive-date=10 December 2007 }}

{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Malayalam}}
{{Ezhuthachan Puraskaram}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{Vayalar Awards}}


{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anand}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]
[[Category:Engineers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language novelists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
[[Category:People from Irinjalakuda]]
[[Category:Writers from Thrissur district]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:Indian irrigation engineers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Malayalam poets]]

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Anand (writer)