Interesting Childhood Memories of Life in City

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The announcement of State awards for children’s literature has brought much cheer to city-based Railway official and first-time author M S Ajoy Kumar. Ajoy’s ‘Angane oru mambazhakalam’ won the award for best book on children’s literature instituted by the State Institute of Children’s Literature. Incidentally, Ajoy, with his book on childhood memories, competed with bigwigs such as Paul Zachariah and K R Meera for the award. Ajoy is a transport inspector at the Railway Divisional Office, Thycaud. ‘Angane oru mambazhakalam’ describes the childhood memories of Ajoy, a native of Chettikulangara here. The memories are made lovable by the use of simple language and lively narration. The protagonist of the book is Ravi, the pet name of Ajoy. Asked about the award, a smiling Ajoy said, “I never saw it as a children’s literature. I wrote it too seriously, but in a satirical way.”  Interestingly, the book covers many locations, shops, theatres and hotels in Thiruvananthapuram and the author believes people could relate with their childhood memories. Episodes such as ‘Azadile chickenum Simlayile icecreamum’ have a number of instances which could rekindle the memories for the city residents. Ajoy wrote his memories in his blog www.ajoywrites.blogspot.com. The popularity of his posts encouraged him to turn it into a book. Kavitha Manoranjini and Kalpana Priyarangini, two naughty girls in the childhood memoir, are respectively film stars Urvashi and Kalpana. “Urvashi and Kalpana were my schoolmates,” said Ajoy, who gave a copy of book to Kalpana. The book relates several incidents where the readers will burst into laughter. “One of my friend’s son is a regular reader of this book. He reads its daily! I got compliments from seventh standard students to 70-year-olds,” Ajoy said. In addition to his regular job, Ajoy has been instrumental in creating posters for Railways. Posters carrying messages and caricatures made by Ajoy can be found in railway stations all over the State. His works include popular messages such as ‘Your mobile can make you immobile’ on the hazards of crossing the railway line while chatting on the mobile phone.  Ajoy had a brief stint in animation too. Taking a break from his Railway job, Ajoy ran an animation firm which produced the first 3D animation video ‘My love for you’ for MTV, a 3D animation quiz programme for Jeevan TV and a 3D animation film for Asianet.  Ajoy’s wife Shyama too is a Railway employee. They have two children, Achutshankar and Nandakishore.