Joe D'Cruz

Joe D'Cruz Biography

Joe D’Cruz is a Tamil writer and documentary filmmaker. He earned recognition as a successful novelist of Tamil literature in the recent times. His novel Korkai earned him the most prestigious Sahitya Academy award in Tamil for the year 2013. He currently serves as the state president of Samskrita Bharati, NGO which works to revive Sanskrit language. He is also a member of the National Shipping Board of the Ministry of Shipping. Known for his support for LGBT Community he served on the advisory board of Srishti Madurai under Anjali Gopalan, Bracha Ettinger.

Joe D'Cruz was born into a Christian family in Uravi village in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu. After his intermediate studies he moved to Chennai where he completed graduation from the prestigious Loyola College, Chennai. Then he took M.Phil at St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli. After studies he joined in a shipping company, where he has been associated with for more than two decades. He is married and has two children. In 2014 he expressed his support to Narendra Modi who was elected as PM candidate. But he received threats and emails following this move.

His novels – Korkai and Aazhi Soozh Ulagu were written in the backdrop of Tamil history and told the story of fishermen Aazhi Soozh Ulagu, Korkai, Verpiditha Vilai Nilangal and Asthinapuram are his published novels. Pulambazhkal, was his first published work, originally published in 2004. His novel novel Aazhi Soozh Ulagu received Tamil Nadu state government literary award and Tamil Literary Garden award. With year 2008, he moved to documentary films. He made Vidiyatha Pozhuthukal (2008) and Towards Dawn (2010), and both throw light on the struggles of fishermen.

Published: September 04, 2018

Updated: September 04, 2018