C. V. Balakrishnan

C. V. Balakrishnan, born on 24 September 1952 in Payyannur, Kannur district of Kerala, is a celebrated Indian writer who has made significant contributions to Malayalam literature.

His formative years were spent in Kerala, where after completing his school education and teacher training in Kannur, he began his career as a teacher at the young age of eighteen. In 1979, he moved to Calcutta, where he worked as a freelance journalist and began writing his most acclaimed novel, "Ayussinte Pusthakam" (The Book of Passing Shadows).

His literary oeuvre spans more than sixty works, comprising novels, short stories, essays, film criticisms, and screenplays. His writings are noted for their deep engagement with emotional and social themes such as mass culture, sexual politics, the fate of marginalized communities, and institutionalized religion.

Full Name	C. V. Balakrishnan
Occupation	Writer
Date of Birth	24-September-1952 (73 years)
Birth Location	Payyannur, Kerala, India
Gender	Male

"Ayussinte Pusthakam" is widely regarded as a major work of post-modernist Malayalam literature, exploring the themes of loneliness, sin, and sadness, and drawing stylistically from biblical language. The novel, inspired by a Bible he chanced upon in St. Paul's Cathedral in Calcutta, was completed over a three-year period marked by personal turmoil. It was later successfully adapted for the stage and won several Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Awards.

In addition to "Ayussinte Pusthakam," his other notable literary works include "Atmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal," "Disa," "Kamamohitham," "Kannadikkadal," "Maalakhamaar Chiraku Veesumbol," "Librarian," "Ehetho Saranikalil," and his autobiography "Paralmeen Neenthunna Paadam."

He has also contributed to Malayalam cinema, writing stories, screenplays, and dialogues for films such as "Mattoral," "Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal," "Orma Mathram," and "Vellivelichathil." His writing is recognized for a distinct, artistic style and a commitment to aesthetic quality maintained throughout his five-decade-long career.

C. V. Balakrishnan has received numerous awards and honors, including three Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards (for novel, autobiography, and travelogue), the Kerala State Film Award for Best Book on Cinema (for "Cinemayude Idangal" in 2002), and the Padmaprabha Literary Award in 2014.

He has also been honored with the V. T. Bhattathiripad Memorial Award, O. Chandu Menon Puraskaram, Basheer Puraskaram, and several others for his contributions to literature and cinema.