Novelist from Madurai wins Sahitya Akademi award

MADURAI: Madurai-based Tamil writer Su Venkatesan (41) has won the Sahitya Aka­demi award for 2011 for his debut novel Kaval Kottam. This is the first time in the annals of the Sahitya Akademi that the prestigious award is being given in recognition of a writer’s debut work.The novel traces 600 years of the 2,500-year-old history of Madurai in an engaging fashion. Significantly, the novel also portrays the background in which the Mullaiperiyar dam, now a bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, was built.“I deem this award a recognition to the historicity of Madurai city. It was a creativ­e challenge for me to portray the city’s history in an interesting way. I think I have done the job to satisfaction,” an elated Venkatesan told Express over the phone on Wednesday.The novel begins in the year 1310, when the campaign of Malik Kafur (army chief of Alauddin Khilji who ruled in North India) in Madurai city started. It traces the history of the erstwhile Unified Madurai district up to the year 1920.  “The novel is a product of 10 years of labour. With over 2,500 years of history, Madurai is still brimming with life. Each and every street in the city boasts a 2,500-year history,” Venkatesan said.  Kaval Kottam also details — in a sub-plot — the need for irrigation that led to the Mullaiperiyar dam becoming a reality. It talks about the deaths that took place during constr­uction of the dam and portra­ys the suffering of the people of the unified Madurai district.Educated at Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, Venkatesan has to his credit four poetry collections and seven books on subjects including history, politics, religion and globalisation. Venkatesan, a full-time writer, is also general secretary of Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Art­istes Association, the art and literary wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist).  This is the first time the Sahitya Akademi is awarding a writer for his debut, which is also his only novel yet.Venkatesan rejoices the fact that he is one of the youngest person to be awarded for a Tamil work.Venkatesan lives in Tirupparangundram with his wife P R Kamala and daughters Yazhini, Tamizhini.