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Rama Kannabiran

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இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: இராம கண்ணபிரான் ‎

Rama Kannabiran

Rama Kannabiran (born 27 December 1943) is a veteran Tamil writer from Singapore. He writes short stories, novellas and literary criticisms. He is an active participant of various Government Organizations related to literature. His essays on short stories are considered crucial text for criticism. Rama Kannabiran is one of the founding members of the Singapore Writers Association.

Birth, Education

Rama Kannabiran was born on December 27, 1943 to Amirthalingam Ramaswamy Mudaliar and Marimuthu Ammal in Ammapettai, Thanjavur district. He had three sisters.

Rama Kannabiran attended primary school in Ammapettai village and came to Singapore in November 1953 at the age of 10. He attended McNair Primary School in Singapore and then completed his Higher Secondary School at Raffles Institution. After that he trained for three years at the Teacher Training College.

Personal Life

Rama Kannabiran while participating in the Iowa International Writing Program (1998)

In 1965 Rama Kannabiran married Janaki, the fourth daughter of Vazhumangalam Rajagopalan and Kuppammal. He has two children, Senthil Poongodi and Paalvannan.

Rama Kannabiran started his career as a teacher in Rosyth Primary School. Initially he joined as an English teacher and later worked as a Tamil teacher in the same school for 37 years (1966-2002) due to shortage of Tamil teachers. He retired voluntarily at the age of 59.

Literary Life

Rama Kannabiran's father Amirthalingam Ramasamy ran a book stall called Shri Radharukmani Vilas Book Depot from 1922. The store, which initially sold books and household goods, became a textile store after World War II. This was Kannabiran's introduction to literature. His first short story in print, 'Moothapillai', appeared in Tamil Murasu in 1958, when he was fifteen. Rama Kannabiran was actively involved in writing fiction for forty four years. He wrote 63 short stories and novellas. Chennai Tamil Puthagaalayam published five story collections of his works. Later he turned to writing essays. Rama Kannabiran has written nearly 200 articles till 2022 about short stories, literary reviews, Singapore Tamil literature, Malaysian Tamil literature, Tamil Nadu literature, introduction, and essays. Since 2018, he has been working on compiling his writings. He has published six books in 2021.

Rama Kannabiran's short stories have been translated into English, Malay and Chinese. His short stories have appeared in 35 English and Tamil language anthologies published locally and abroad. Rama Kannabiran's stories have been featured in high school, primary and secondary social science university textbooks in Singapore.

Literary Work

Rama Kannabiran receiving the Southeast Asian Writing Award from Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand in 1990 in Bangkok

Rama Kannabiran's public literary work began as a member of the Akilan Reception Committee formed when the writer Akilan arrived in Singapore in 1975. One of the founding members of the Singapore Writers' Association, which was launched in 1976, Rama Kannabiran served as the first executive member of the association for two years. In 1975, Rama Kannabiran was one of the ten writers who formed the Singapore literary scene. In 1977, Rama Kannabiran wrote his first research paper on the topic of Short Story in Singapore at the Tamil Literature Laboratory of the National University of Singapore's Tamil Council. He subsequently wrote several research articles on Singaporean short stories.

Rama Kannabiran

In the late 1990s, Rama Kannabiran became a board member of the National University of Singapore (NUS - Center for the Arts) and conducted workshops in the Center's Creative Arts Program from 1996 to 2001. He has also conducted literary workshops in other literary organizations. He has helped in the issues related to 'Singa' which has been published by the Center in English including the library and literature in the four languages ​​of Singapore. Since its inception in 1991, Rama Kannabiran has been a member of the National Arts Council, Singapore's Advisory Committee, Resource Committee, Play Review Study Committee and Singapore Writers' Festival Organizing Committee for 21 years. He has participated in Singapore Writers' Festivals and represented Singapore in Delhi and Hyderabad Writers' Festivals. Rama Kannabiran has been working continuously for many years as a consultant and supporter of many literary and social organizations in Singapore.

Literary Place

Celebrated as a senior writer in Singapore Tamil literature, Rama Kannabiran's writings exemplify traditional values (Aram). Writer Jeyamohan quotes "his stories generally carries the voice of a teacher who comes to class with a beating stick and shouts 'silence, silence'. These collections can be included in the history of literature with the stories that unwittingly revealed the life of a time in Singapore".

Awards

On January 26, 1989, at the banquet hosted by the US Embassy in Singapore at the Pine Tree Club for Rama Kannabiran, who returned to Singapore after participating in the Iowa Project in the United States. With Rama Kannapiran (second from left) the Embassy's Cultural Officer of the day Mr Richard Vaughan, Director (USIS) Mr Richard Kong, American actress Des Haber.
  • 1982 - Singapore National Book Promotion Forum First Prize Book Award for 'Irubaththainthu Aandugal'
  • 1988 - Represented Singapore in the Iowa International Literary Creation Program in USA. While staying there for three months, he finished writing a short novel called 'Beedam</>'. For this work, the University of Iowa gave him an honorary literary award called 'Honourary Fellow in Writing'
  • 1990 - Thailand's Southeast Asian Writer Award
  • 1997 - National University of Singapore Arts Center 'Mont Blanc' Literary Award, 1998 - Singapore National Arts Council Cultural Medal for Literature
  • 2004 - Tamilvel Award of Singapore Tamil Writers Association
  • 2007 - Bharathiyar - Bharathidasan Literary Award of Singapore Tamil Language Cultural Association, 2013 - Kaniyazhi Award of Singapore Kawimalai Organization
  • 2022 - Singapore Mediacorp Television Tamil News Lifetime Achievement Award

Biography

Malaysia's Vallinam Literary Organization has produced a documentary about Rama Kannabiran (link)

Books

Stories
Rama Kannabiran at his home
  • Irubaththainthu Aandugal (Short Stories, Chennai Tamil Puthagaalayam, 1980, Singapore Crimson Eth Publications, 2015)
  • Umaavukkaaga (Short Stories, Chennai Tamil Puthagaalayam, 1980)
  • Vaadai Kaatru (Short Stories, Chennai Tamil Puthagaalayam, 1981)
  • Chozhan Bommaigal (Short Stories, Chennai Tamil Puthagaalayam, 1981)
  • Beedam (Novella, Chennai Tamil Puthagaalayam, 1992)
  • Vaazvu (Short Stories, Singapore Crimson Eth Publications, 2015)
  • Amaithi Piranthathu (Short Stories, Singapore Crimson Eth Publications, 2018)
  • Rama Kannabiran Kathaigal (1958 - 1992) (2021)
Article
  • Sirukathai Koorugalum, Seppaniduthalum (2021)
  • Nhool Aninthuraigal (2021)
  • Vanozhiyil Nhool Arimugangal (2021)
  • Singapore Tamil Sirukathaigal (2021)
  • Aram Pazhutha Vaazvu (2021)
  • Rama Kannabiran Kathaigal

References

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