Rama Kannabiran
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: இராம கண்ணபிரான்
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
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 as a literary form, literary studies, Singapore Tamil literature, Malaysian Tamil literature, Tamil Nadu literature, introduction and reviews to various books, and prefaces. Since 2018, he has been working on compiling his writings and 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's contributions in the literary sphere began with him being 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 Tamil Ilakkiya Kalam. In 1977, he wrote his first research paper on the elements of the short story form in Singapore at the Tamil Literature Research Institute of the National University of Singapore's Tamil Council. He subsequently wrote several research articles on Singaporean short stories.
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 literary organizations. He has contributed to publications including Singa: literature and the arts in Singapore, published by Ministry of Culture, 1980-2000, bi-annually in June and the English publication, which includes translations of writings from other three [official] languages; Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Since its inception in 1991, he has been a member of the National Arts Council, Singapore, for 21 years as a member of its Advisory Committee, Resource Committee, Drama Review Study Committee and Singapore Writers Festival Organizing Committee. He has participated in Singapore writer's festivals and represented Singapore in Delhi and Hyderabad writer's festivals. Rama. Kannapiran 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 says, "his stories generally begins with 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 as his stories unwittingly represent the life of a particular period of time in Singapore" about his works.
Awards
- 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
- 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
- Pozhiyaana Ondrai Ilakkiyathin Meethu Vaithal Athu Ungalai Thuvamsam Seithuvidum - Rama Kannabiran, Singaporin Mootha Ezhuthazhar Rama Kannabiran avargaludan oru nerkanal, Serangoon Times, December 2021
- Rama Kannabiranin Vazvu Kathaithoguppu - Oru Parvai | Thinnai
- "Suyakarpanaiyum Sinthanaiyum Vaasippum mattume Ilakkiyavaathigalai uruvaakka mudiyum" - Rama Kannabiran - Vallinam
- Manathirkku Vayathillai Nambikkaikku Alavillai - 77 vayathu ulloor ezhuthalar Rama Kannabiran (Video) - SeithiMediacorp
- Pirambum Kuralum - Jeyamohan
- Nerkaanal Ezhuthazhar Rama Kannabiran | Aroo
- Rama Kannabiran (artshouselimited.sg)
- Rama Kannabiran - Sadakku
- Literary Pioneer Exhibition: P Krishnan, Rama Kannabiran, Singai Ma Ilangkannan Singapore Ezuthazhar Vizha Ilakkiya Munnodigal Kankatchi: B. Krishnan, Singai Ma. Izhangannan, Rama Kannabiran (Singapore Writers Festival 2020)
- Cultural Medallion 1998, Rama Kannabiran
- Culture champs - Snapshots of the 13 Indian cultural medallion winners, tabla.com.sg, மார்ச் 2013
- https://youtu.be/QIcThn1CYOw
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