K.V. Shailaja
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கே.வி.ஷைலஜா
K.V. Shailaja (1969) a Translator, writer and Publisher. She introduced the best Malayalam works to Tamil readers. She did famous translations like Chidambara Ninaivugal, Sumithra. She is Associated with Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association. K.V. Shailaja runs Vamsi Publishing along with her husband Bhava Chelladurai.
Birth, Education
K.V. Shailaja was born in Tiruvannamalai on November 7, 1969 to K.A. Vasudevan-P.M. Madhavi couple. Originally from Palakkad in Kerala, the family moved to Tiruvannamalai for her father's business before Shailaja was born. K.V. Shailaja lost his father when she was five months old and grew up in the care of his maternal uncle. She has two elder sisters - K.V. Jayashree and Sujatha. K.V. Jayashree is a Sahitya Academy award winning Writer and Translator. K.V. Shailaja did her Primary education at Kannika Parameswari School, Tiruvannamalai and Higher education at Municipal High School. She received Bachelor of Commerce degree from Trivannamalai Anna Government College of Arts, Master's degree and Master of Science (M.Phil) degree from Annamalai University. K.V. Shailaja cites her mother's avid reading and the home library of her aunt as having moved her towards reading.
Personal Life
An introduction to writer Bava Chelladurai at the Progressive Writers Association conference blossomed into love. Both got married in 1994. Son Vamsi and daughter Manasi. Both are interested in directing short films. Manasi translated Ira Natarajan's Ayesha into English when she was in eighth grade.
Career in Education
- Maharishi Vidya Mandir, Tiruvannamalai (Teacher)
- Ramakrishna Matriculation High School, Thiruvannamalai (Principal)
- Arunai Engineering College, Thiruvannamalai (Lecturer)
- Danish Mission High School, Tiruvannamalai (Teacher)
- Kamban College of Arts and Sciences for Women, Tiruvannamalai (Lecturer)
Career in Literature
K.V. Shailaja has written about her life experiences, encounters with writers and artists in his collection of essays Muthiyamma, starting with childhood memories. Uruvamattra En Muthal Aan essay collection which portraits about sadness and life's cruelties, but it instills hope that life is worth living and that it is full of necessary sweetness and humanity.
K.V. Shailaja wrote a novel called Sahita - Nibanthanaiyattra Anbin Kural in 2021. The novel gives life to a series of dreams she had from childhood and is written against the backdrop of the Islamic family she grew up with.[1]
Achievements in Translation
- After reading an interview of Kerala's famous poet Balachandran Sullikad in Aranyam Literary Magazine, I became interested in meeting him. Bhava Chelladurai and Shailaja invited him to speak at their literary program 'Muttram' through writer Tilakavathy. K.V. Shailaja learned to read Malayalam from her sister's daughter Sukana in order to read the Chidambara Smarna book he had gifted her. After reading the book, she worked for a year and translated it into Tamil under the name of Chidambara Ninaivugal. A close translation of Chidambara Ninaivugal brought her recognition in the Tamil literary world and a unique identity as a translator.
- K.V. Shailaja translated Actor Mammootty's Kazhchapapadu into Tamil under the name of Moondram Pirai and published by Vamsi Publishing House.
- K.V. Shailaja translated ten short stories of retired IAS officer from Kerala and Writer N.S. Madhavan and published them under the name Sarmishta.
- She translated K.R. Meera's stories under the name Surpanagai.
- K.V. Shailaja has won an award from 'Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandram' for her translation of M.D. Vasudevan Nayar's 'Iruthi Yathirai'.
- Kalpattra Narayanan's first Novel Ithra Mathram was translated by her under the name Sumitra. Iruthi Yathirai, written before the death of a man, and Sumitra, written before the death of a woman, were successively translated novels.
- K.V. Shailaja has translated a Writer named Sihabudeen Poithumkadavu's short story collection Arkum Vendatha Kannu into Tamil under the title Yarukkum Vendatha Kan. This translation earned her the 2014 Canada Literary Garden Award for Best Translation.
- Pachai Iuralanin Saga Ponthan Madan collection contains seven short stories from Tamil and seven short stories from Malayalam. Pachai Irulan and Ponthan Madan are the characters in the story of Bhava Chelladurai and Malayalam writer P.C. Sriraman respectively.
- Sabu Kilithattu wrote a book called 'Nilachoru' Based on the life of Uma Preman[2] [3], the founder of Shanthi Medical Informations, which provides medical services in Kerala. K.V. Shailaja translated tit to Tamil under the name of Kathai Ketkum Suvargal.
- She translated playback singer Bhagyalakshmi's autobiography titled Swarabedhangal. She also won Sakthi video for Swarabedhangal.
Work in Publication
Encouraged by writers Thilakavathy and C. Mohan, K.V. Shailaja along with Bava Chelladurai started 'Vamsi' publishing house in Tiruvannamalai in 2001. She has published more than four hundred books such as translations, indigenous literature, writings for human excellence and timeless literature. For this she has received Tamil Development Department Award five times. Along with 'Poovulagin Nanbargal' she also published 8 books.
K.V. Shailaja coordinated many events as a member of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association.
Literary Place
K.V. Shailaja's role in introducing Malayalam literature to Tamils is significant. Highlighting "Each translation reaches deep within me and raises", she has earned her unique identification through the translation of Chidambara Ninaivugal. The elegant translation of the text as written directly in Tamil has resulted in the book being widely read in Tamil.
"Shailaja's translation unscathedly conveys the underlying feelings of the experiences to the reader with the same visceral pain and weight" says J. Baskaran.
"Shailaja's translation is very fluent, true to the poetry of the original, yet with idioms and expressions appropriate to the Malayalam script. Shailaja is well read and has literary taste" says S. Ramakrishnan about K.V. Shailaja.
"If Kalpattraa Narayanan as a Tamilan had written a novel in Tamil, if we assume the kind of fine language he would have used, K.V. Shailaja as a translator has created the magic very successfully", says Cudalore Cheenu about Sumitra [4].
With the aim of bringing Tamil literature to the people of Kerala, she is working to bring Tamil and Malayalam writers together through the Kerala Sahitya Academy and to translate Tamil works into Malayalam. Along with Bava Chelladurai she is conducting literary functions like "Muttram", "Vamsi Koodal", "Nilam", "Kalai Iravu".
Books
- Uruvamattra En Muthal Aan
- Mutthiamma
- Sahita - Nibanthanaiyattra Anbin Kural
Translation Books (From Malayalam to Tamil)
Essays
- Chidambara Ninaivugal - Balachandran Chullikadu
- Moondram Piral - Mammooty (Life Experiences)
Short Stories
- Sharmista - N.S. Madhavan
- Surpanagai - K.R. Meera
- Yaarukkum Vendatha Kan - Sihabudeen Poithumkadavu
Novels
- Sumitra - Kalpattra Narayanan
- Iruthiyathirai - M.D. Vasudevan Nayar
- Swarabethangal - Bagyalakshmi
- Kathai Ketkum Suvargal - Shabu Kilithattil
Collection Books
- Pachai Iuralanin Saga Ponthan Madan (Short Story collection of Tamil - Malayalam)
- Thennindhiya Sirukathaigal (Short Story collection of Tamil - Malayalam - Kannada - Telugu)
Awards
- Kalai Ilakkiya Peravai Viruthu
- Tirupur Tamil Sangam Award
- Canada Literary Garden Award
- Sakthi Award for Female Authors
- Five Time Award for Best Publicist From Tamil Nadu Government's Department of Tamil Development
References
- K.V. Shailaja's Interview - Vanem Magazine
- Vasagasalai - K.V. Shailaja's Mutthiamma
- Sihabudeen's Stories - S. Ramakrishnan
- M.T.Vs Iruthi Yathirai - Abilash Chandran
- Thendral - K.V. Shailaja
- 'Kanali' M. Mukundan's Inner Face Translation - K.V. Shailaja
- Bhava Chelladurai's Perum Kathaiyadal, 'Sumitra' - Video
