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P. Sachidanandan (Anand)

ピー・サチダナンダン（アナンド）

P. Sachidanandan

Pen Names: Anand（Used as a pen name）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1936-01-01 （Irinjalakuda, Kerala, India）
Nationality
India
Languages
Malayalam, English
Residence History
Irinjalakuda (birthplace) → Gujarat (worked) → Mumbai (worked) → Bengal (worked) → North-East Frontier Agency (military service, 1966–1970) → Delhi (residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Novelist, Essayist, Critic
Active Years
1960-
Influenced By
M. Govindan

Education

College of Engineering, Trivandrum
Faculty of Engineering / Civil Engineering
Degree: Bachelor of Engineering
Period: 〜1958
Year of Graduation: 1958
Country: India
Graduated in Civil Engineering in 1958.

Awards

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story
1981
Organization: Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Result: 受賞
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel
1985
Organization: Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Result: 辞退
Vayalar Award
1993
Organization: Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust
Result: 受賞
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Scholarly Literature
1994
Organization: Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Result: 受賞
Odakkuzhal Award
1996
Organization: Odakkuzhal Award committee
Result: 受賞
Sahitya Akademi Award
1997
Work: Govardhan's Travels (Govardhante Yathrakal)
Organization: Sahitya Akademi (India)
Result: 受賞
Muttathu Varkey Award
2000
Organization: Muttathu Varkey Memorial Committee
Result: 受賞
Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize
2012
Organization: Sahitya Akademi (India)
Result: 受賞
Vallathol Award
2015
Organization: Vallathol Memorial Committee
Result: 受賞
Ezhuthachan Puraskaram
2019
Organization: Government of Kerala
Result: 受賞
Yashpal Award
Result: 辞退

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Aalkkoottam (The Crowd)

1970 Novel

Debut novel noted for its abstract and philosophical narration; it made a strong impression on Malayalam readers.

politicshuman conditioncollective behavior

Marubhoomikal Undakunnathu (Desert Shadows)

1989 Novel

A late-1980s novel incorporating historical elements and social critique.

historysocial critiquealienation
Translations
  • Desert Shadows (English translation)

Govardhan's Travels (Govardhante Yathrakal)

1995 Novel

A novel blending personal history with political and historical perspectives. Recipient of the 1997 Sahitya Akademi Award.

historyindividual and societyethics of politics
Translations
  • Govardhan's Travels (English translation)

The Death Certificate (Marana Certificate)

1974 Novel/Novella

An important early work using abstract and symbolic narration; also translated into English.

deathsocial structureindividual alienation
Translations
  • The death certificate (English translation)

The Book of Destruction (Samharathinte Pusthakam)

2005 Novel / Essayistic

A mid-career work reflecting on civilization and destruction; available in English translation.

civilizationdestructionethics
Translations
  • The book of destruction (English translation)

Bibliography

  • Aalkkoottam (The Crowd)
  • Marubhoomikal Undakunnathu (Desert Shadows)
  • Govardhante Yathrakal (Govardhan's Travels)
  • Marana Certificate (The Death Certificate)
  • Samharathinte Pusthakam (The Book of Destruction)
  • Vyaasanum Vighneswaranum
  • Abhayarthikal (The Refugees)
  • Jaiva Manushyan (The Biological Man)

Translations of Works

  • The death certificate
  • Desert Shadows
  • Govardhan's Travels
  • The Book of Destruction
  • Twilight Encounters: The Fourth Nail and Other Stories

Style & Themes

Literary Style
philosophical and reflective styleabstract and symbolic narrationconcise, stripped prose
Recurring Motifs
questioning political ethicsthe plight of the oppressedhistorical contexts

Legacy

Anand is a major intellectual and writer in Malayalam literature, noted for his philosophical, historical perspective and humanistic concerns. His works combine thoughtfulness with social critique and many have been translated into English.

Academic Societies

  • Kerala Sahitya Akademi

Archives

  • Library of Congress - South Asian Literary Recordings Project (New Delhi)

Quotes

  • 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.
    Source: Commentary by M. Mukundan

Trivia

  • Served in the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) in short service commission during 1966–1970.
  • Retired as Planning Director of the Central Water Commission.
  • Declined the Yashpal Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel.
  • Resides in Delhi.
  • Also writes poems, translations and many essays.