Konangi

Konangi Biography

Konangi is a Tamil writer from Nenmeni Mettupatti, Tamil Nadu. His real name is Ilangovan. He is best known for short stories. His father M.S. Shanmugam is a novelist, short-story writer and poet, while his maternal grandfather ‘Madurakavi' Baskaradoss was a popular playwright. Thus many of his family members are associated with literal world. His siblings - Tamilselvan is a well known Tamil short story writer while Murugabhoopathy is an award winning theater personality and playwright. Thus many of his family members are associated with literal world. The brothers also owned a street play group Shristi in which they successfully staged many street plays, and appeared as actors too. Konangi is a part of modern literary movement in Tamil language.

Ilangovan, known by the pseudonym Konangi was born on 1 November 1956 in Nenmeni Mettupatti, Tamil Nadu. He hailed from a family of writers from Naagalapuram. Later his family moved to Nenmeni Mettupatti during his childhood days. Many of his family members were writers and playwrights, and he belongs to the third generation of writers. Till now, Konangi has published six short story collections and three novels. He has published his works in less known magazines, as well as magazines with good circulation and also newspapers. He always wishes to stay away from limelight.

Konangi's first short story Veechu was published in Thaamarai - Tamil magazine in 1980. Since then he wrote many original short stories in Tamil. A tight narrative style with very dense images, his short stories became immensely popular. In 1988 he quit his job to start his own little magazine Kal Kudhirai. He has also chosen nostalgia, urbanization and its effects on rural life, childhood memories etc as his themes.

Published: September 04, 2018

Updated: September 04, 2018