National Book Award for Translated Literature
2 appearances
-
Edition 1 (2018) Longlisted
-
Edition 3 (2020) Longlisted
Perumal Murugan
ペルマル・ムルガン
Perumaru Murugan
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1966-10-15 （near Thiruchengode, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India）
- Nationality
- Indian
- Languages
- Tamil
- Residence History
- Thiruchengode → Namakkal → Attur → Chennai
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Professor of Tamil, Scholar, Principal
- Active Years
- 1988-2024
- Affiliations
- Government Arts College, Namakkal, Head of Tamil Literature Department, Government College, Attur, Presidency College, Chennai, Principal, Government Arts College, Namakkal
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College in Erode | — | Tamil literature | — | — | India |
| Postgraduate institution in Coimbatore | — | Tamil literature | — | — | India |
| Madras University | — | Tamil studies | M.Phil | — | India |
College in Erode
Tamil literature
Country:
India
Studied Tamil literature as undergraduate
Postgraduate institution in Coimbatore
Tamil literature
Country:
India
Studied Tamil literature as postgraduate
Madras University
Tamil studies
Degree:
M.Phil
Country:
India
M.Phil in Tamil studies. Ph.D. thesis on works of R. Shanmugasundaram
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Kiriyama Prize | Seasons of the Palm | — | — | shortlisted |
| 2022 | Fakir Mohan National Literary Award | — | — | Fakir Mohan University | won |
| 2023 | JCB Prize | Fire Bird | — | — | won |
Kiriyama Prize
2005
Work:
Seasons of the Palm
Result:
shortlisted
Fakir Mohan National Literary Award
2022
Organization:
Fakir Mohan University
Result:
won
JCB Prize
2023
Work:
Fire Bird
Result:
won
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Poonachi or the Story of a Goat
2016 novelStory of a special female black goat in the Kongunadu region, focusing on its tragic life in the hands of a poor old couple.
animal perspectivepovertyfamilyregional culture
Translations
- English translation (2017)
One Part Woman
2010 novelA childless couple participates in a local chariot festival allowing free relations to conceive a child.
infertilitymarriagecastereligious customs
Translations
- English translation by Aniruddhan Vasudevan (2013)
Pyre
2013 novelA love story set in Kongunadu region involving caste issues.
lovecaste discrimination
Translations
- English translation by Aniruddhan Vasudevan
Seasons of the Palm
2000 novelLife and struggles of a young Dalit goatherd bonded to a higher caste family.
childhoodbonded laborfreedomcaste
Translations
- English translation by V. Geetha (2004)
Bibliography
- Rising Heat
- Current Show
- Seasons of the Palm
- Resolve
- One Part Woman
- Pyre
- Poonachi or the Story of a Goat
- Estuary
Translations of Works
- Ten novels translated to English
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Kongu dialectrealismethnographic detailpoetic elements
- Recurring Motifs
- Kongunadu culturecaste systemsex ratio imbalancepoverty and exploitationfamily conflicts
Legacy
Prominent Tamil writer and chronicler of Kongunadu region, addressing social issues like caste and poverty. Faced controversy over One Part Woman leading to temporary quit announcement, but resumed after court ruling.
In Popular Culture
- In 2021, his photo was included in a BJP political banner depicting slum residents.
Quotes
-
Perumal Murugan the writer is dead. As he is no God, he is not going to resurrect himself. He also has no faith in rebirth. An ordinary teacher, he will live as P. Murugan. Leave him alone.
Source: Facebook post (2015)
Trivia
- Began writing early; children's song lyrics broadcast on All India Radio.
- Compiled lexicon of Kongu words, idioms, and phrases.
- Translator of One Part Woman won Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize (2016).