Ka. Naa. Subramanyam

Ka. Naa. Subramanyam Biography

Ka. Naa. Subramanyam, also known by his initials Ka. Naa. Su. was a noted writer and critic belonging to Tamil literature. Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986, Government of Tamil Nadu award for the short story Kodhai Sirithaal and Kumaran Asan award are some of the major honours received by him. His works include different genres consisting of Novels, short story collections, Literary criticism, Translations and a few English works as well. He wrote poems using the pseudonym Mayan. Many of his works were published in literary magazines like lakkiya vattam, Sooravali and Chandraodayam. Government of Tamil Nadu nationalised his works in 2006.

Ka. Na. Subramaniam was born on 31 January 1912 in Valangaiman of present-day Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. He published his first novel Poithevu in the year 1946. Puzhithi ther, Sarmavin uyil, Pasi, Vaazhvum thaazhvum, Sakthi vilasam, Asurakanam, Pithappoo, Maalthedi, Ezhu per, Oru naal, Nadutheru and Gopuravaasal are his other published novels. With 1950s, he authored many critics’ works, along with other forms of literature. Literary critic C. S. Chellappa was his close friend and contemporary.

He was influenced by leftist ideologies, which reflected in his works too. Since 1965 he started writing in English, writing as a columnist for dailies. He had moved to Delhi then. He spent next two decades in the capital city and returned to Chennai only in 1985, where he spent his remaining three years. He wrote columns in some of Tamil magazines during this period. Ilakkiyathukku oru Iyakkam – a literary criticism earned him the prestigious Tamil Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986.Vimarsana kalai, Padithirukireergala, Ulagathu sirandha novelgal and Ilakkiya Visaaram are other works belonging to this genre.

Published: September 15, 2018

Updated: September 15, 2018