K.V. Shailaja
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: கே.வி.ஷைலஜா
K.V. Shailaja (b. 1969) is a Translator, writer and Publisher. She has introduced some of the best Malayalam works to Tamil readers through her translations, such as Chidambara Ninaivugal, Sumitra. She is Associated with Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association. K.V. Shailaja runs Vamsi Publishing along with her husband Bavaa Chelladurai.
Birth, Education
K.V. Shailaja was born in Thiruvannamalai on November 7, 1969, to the couple K.A. Vasudevan-P.M. Madhavi. Originally from Palakkad, Kerala, the family moved to Thiruvannamalai for her father's business before she was born. K.V. Shailaja lost her father when she was five months old and grew up in her maternal uncle's care. 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, Thiruvannamalai and her higher education at Municipal High School. She received Bachelor of Commerce degree from Anna Government College of Arts, Thiruvannamalai and received her Post-graduate Master of Science, M.Phil degrees from Annamalai University. K.V. Shailaja cites her mother's avid reading habit and her aunt's library as her inspiration towards reading and literature.
Personal Life
Meeting writer Bava Chelladurai at the Progressive Writers Association's conference, blossomed into love. They married in 1994. Both their son Vamsi and daughter Manasi 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, Thiruvannamalai (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's collection of essays, Muthiyamma is about her own life, memoirs, rendezvous with writers and artists, starting from her childhood. Her Uruvamattra En Muthal Aann (my first amorphous man) is an essay collection which depicts sadness and life's cruelties, yet instils hope that life is worth living and that it is full of sweetness and humanity.
K.V. Shailaja wrote her first Novel, Sahithaa - Nibanthanaiyattra Anbin Kural ( Sahithaa - voice of unconditional love) in 2021 based on a series of dreams she had from childhood and is written in the backdrop of the Islamic family she grew up with. [1]
Achievements in Translation
- After reading an interview of Balachandran Chullikkaad, Kerala's famous poet, in Aranyam Literary Magazine, she got interested meeting him in person. Bavaa Chelladurai and Shailaja invited him, with the help of writer Thilakavathy, to speak at their literary program 'Muttram'. The Malayalam book he gifted K.V.Shailaja in that occasion, Chidambara Smarana made her turn to her sister's daughter Sukana to learn to read the language. She read the book and after a year of hard work, she translated the book into Tamil as Chidambara Ninaivugal. This brought her recognition in the Tamil literary world and a unique identity as a translator.
- K.V. Shailaja had translated Actor Mammootty's memoirs, Kazhchappaadu into Tamil as Moonraam Pirai, published by her Publishing House, Vamsi.
- Ten Malayalam short stories of retired IAS officer from Kerala and Writer, N.S. Madhavan was translated by K.V.Shailaja as Sarmishta.
- She has translated Malayalam writer K.R. Meera's stories into Tamil as Surpanakai.
- Kalpattra Narayanan's first Novel Ithra Maathram was translated by her as Sumitra.
- Celebrated Malayalam Writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair's novel Iruthi Yathirai, written on death of men, and Kalpattra Narayanan's Sumitra, written on the death of women, were successively translated by K.V.Shailaja.
- Malayalam writer Sihabudeen Poithumkadavu's short story collection Aarkkum Vendattha Kannu into Tamil as Yarukkum Vendatha Kann.
- Pacchai iruLanin Sagaa Ponthan Maadan collection contains seven Malayalam short stories and seven from Tamil. Pacchai Irulan and Ponthan Maadan are the characters in the stories of Bavaa Chelladurai and Malayalam writer P.C. Sriraman respectively.
- Sabu Kilithattil's Malayalam work 'Nilaachoru' is based on the life of the founder of Kerala's Shanthi Medical informations, Uma Preman[2] [3], K.V. Shailaja translated this work to Tamil as 'Kathai Ketkum Suvargal' (walls that listen to stories).
- She has translated Malayalam Dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi's autobiography into Tamil titled as Swarabedhangal.
As Publisher & as Co-Ordinator
Encouraged by Tamil writers Thilakavathy and C. Mohan, in 2001, K.V. Shailaja along with Bavaa Chelladurai started a publishing house in Thiruvannamalai named 'Vamsi'. They have published more than four hundred books of translations, indigenous literature, writings for human eminence and timeless classics. For this contribution in Publishing, she has received TamilNadu Government's Department for Tamil Development's Award five times. Along with the organisation 'Poovulagin Nanbargal' she has published 8 books so far.
K.V. Shailaja as a member of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association, coordinates many of their events, including Book fairs. With the help of Kerala Sahitya Academy, she combines Tamil and Malayalam translators to transcribe important Tamil literature to Malayalam language. She conducts literary fests and meetings 'Mutram', 'Vamsi Koodal', 'Nilam', 'Kalai iravu' along with her husband Bavaa Chelladurai.
Literary Position
K.V. Shailaja's role in introducing Malayalam literature to Tamil through translation and as publisher, is significant. She reveals "Each translation raises from deep within me", though she earned her unique identity as a Translator through her debut work 'Chidambara Ninaivugal'. The elegant translation of the text which read as well-written directly in Tamil, has resulted in the book being widely read in Tamil.
"Shailaja's translation conveys the feelings that underlie experiences to its readers with the same visceral pain and weight of the originals" says J. Baskaran.
"Her translations are very fluent, true to the poetic tongue of the original, yet with idioms and expressions typical to Malayalam. Shailaja is very well read and has great literary flavour" says S. Ramakrishnan about K.V. Shailaja.
"K.V.Shailaja has so successfully created the magic through her translation, as though Kalpattraa Narayanan had been a Tamil and authored this novel directly in Tamil. Any reader of Tamil should not miss this experience ", says Cuddalore Seenu about Sumitra [4].
Books
- Uruvamattra En Muthal Aann
- Mutthiamma
- Sahithaa - Nibanthanaiyattra Anbin Kural
Translation (From Malayalam to Tamil)
Essays
- Chidambara Ninaivugal - Balachandran Chullikadu's Chidambara Smarana.
- Moonraam Piral - Mammooty's memoirs.
Short Stories
- Sharmista - N.S. Madhavan
- Surpanakai - K.R. Meera
- Yaarukkum Vendatha Kan - Sihabudeen Poithumkadavu
Novels
- Sumitra - Kalpattra Narayanan
- Iruthiyathirai - M.T. Vasudevan Nair
- Swarabethangal - Bagyalakshmi's Autobiography.
- Kathai Ketkum Suvargal - Shabu Kilithattil's 'Nilaa Choru'
Anthology
- Pacchai iruLanin Sagaa Ponthan Maadan (Short Story collection of Tamil - Malayalam)
- Thennindhiya Sirukathaigal (Short Story collection of Tamil - Malayalam - Kannada - Telugu)
Awards
- Kalai Ilakkiya Peravai Viruthu ( for translating M.T.Vasudevan Nair's 'Iruthi Yaathirai')
- Tirupur Tamil Sangam Award
- 2014, Canada Literary Garden Award, (for Yaarukkum Vendaatha Kann.)
- Sakthi Award for Female Authors. (for Bagyalakshmi's 'SwarabedhangaL').
- Best Publishers to Vamsi, for Five times, From Tamil Nadu Government's Department for 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
Footnotes
- Sahita - Nibanthanaiyattra Anbin Kural - Video
- Uma Preman - Life Note
- bbc.com An 'unhappy marriage' -that has saved thousands of lives
- Sumitra
✅Finalised Page
