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{{short description|Educationalist , School Principal , Writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Era Natarasan
| image = Era natarasan.jpg
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1964|12|08}}
| birth_place = [[Lalgudi]], [[Tiruchirappalli|Trichy]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| alma_mater = {{unbulletedlist|[[Jamal Mohamed College]] (1982–85)
| [[Annamalai University]] (1990–92)
| Alagappa University (2004)
}}
| occupation = Children's writer
| title = Headmaster of the Krishnasamy Memorial Matric Higher Secondary School
| awards = {{unbulletedlist|[[Sahitya Akademi Award]] (2014)
| [[Dr. Radhakrishnan]] Award (2008)
}}
| website = {{URL|eranatarasan.com}}
| signature = Natarasan Signature.jpg
| honorific-suffix = 
}}

'''Era Natarasan''' (born 8 December 1964), popularly known as '''Ayesha Natarasan''', is an Indian writer of children's books.<ref name="Metroplus'Insulting the Child isn't education">{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/%E2%80%98Insulting-the-child-isn%E2%80%99t-education%E2%80%99/article14620119.ece | title='Insulting the Child isn't education' | newspaper=The Hindu | date=2 September 2016| first=Nahla | last=Nainar | access-date=8 October 2018}}</ref> He writes in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and English. He is the author of Ayisha (in English) / ''Ayesha'' (a Novella) that has sold millions of copies in 12 languages.<ref name="Ayesha Natarasan">{{cite web | url= http://goodreads.com/book/show/5055097-ayeesha | title= Ayesha Natarasan | publisher= Barathi Puthakalayam, India |year=1999}}</ref><ref name="Ayesha-English">{{cite web | url= http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/ayeesha_english.pdf| title= Ayesha-English | publisher= A foreword written by author ERA. NATARAJAN, India |year=1999 }}</ref><ref name="Ayesha -Tamil">{{cite web | url= http://www.slideshare.net/Tamizhmuhil/ayeesha-tamil| title= Ayesha -Tamil | publisher= A foreword written by author ERA. NATARAJAN, India |year=1999}}</ref> He has written more than 150 books most of them on science and Science Fiction including Vigyana vikramadhithyan kadhaigal which won the "Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award" for Children Literature, awarded by [[Sahitya Academy]].<ref name=" Bal Sahithya Akademi winner dedicates award to book-loving children ">{{cite web | url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/bal-sahitya-akademi-winner-dedicates-award-to-bookloving-children/article6349363.ece| title= Bal Sahithya Akademi winner dedicates award to book-loving children | work= The Hindu |year=2014| access-date= 25 August 2014}}</ref><ref name=" Bal Sahitya Puraskar ">{{cite web| url= http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/awards/bal%20sahitya%20samman_suchi.jsp| title= Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award| publisher= Sahitya Academy, Government of India|year= 2015| access-date= 24 January 2015| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150630000355/http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/awards/bal%20sahitya%20samman_suchi.jsp| archive-date= 30 June 2015| url-status= dead}}</ref>

==Life and career==

He is the Principal (Head master) of the Krishnasamy Memorial Matric Higher Secondary School, in the coastal town of [[Cuddalore]] near [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]], India.<ref name="Krishnasamy Memorial Matric Higher Secondary school">{{cite web | url= http://www.krishnasamyschoolcud.com/ | title= Krishnasamy Memorial Matric Higher Secondary school | publisher= Cuddalore, India | year= 1999 | access-date= 10 March 2017 | archive-date= 19 December 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191219033856/https://krishnasamyschoolcud.com/ | url-status= dead }}</ref>

Natarasan started his writing career as a poet in the Tamil weekly [[Ananda Vikatan]] in 1982 latter got interested to write short- stories Science and Science fiction for children so for he has written 83 books (72 in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and 11 in English).<ref name="'Ayisha' Natarasan's speech at Sakthi Vikatan's Camp">{{cite web | url=http://vikatan.com/news/article.php?aid=6493| title= 'Ayisha' Natarasan's speech at Sakthi Vikatan's Camp| publisher=Vikatan |year=2012}}</ref> The ''Vigyana Vikramadhithyan Kadhaikal''(2009) has in itself the history of the medical inventions such as, polio vaccine, insulin, and malaria vaccine, which received the ''Bala Sahitya Puraskar'' the ''Annual [[Sahitya Academy Award]]'' for [[children literature]] in 2014.<ref name="Bal Sahithya Akademi winner dedicates award to book-loving children" />

His recent work for teachers ''Idhu yarudaya vagupparai'' (''Whose Classroom Is It?'')<ref name=" Ithu Yarudaya Vagupparai">{{cite web | url= http://www.udumalai.com/ithu-yarudaya-vagupparai.htm | title= Ithu Yarudaya Vagupparai | publisher= books for children, India |year=2013 }}</ref> has received the Tamil Valarchithurai Virudhu in 2015, the award he has already received in 2001 for his book on Mathematics ''Kanidhathin kadhai''.<ref name=" Kanidhathin kadhai">{{cite web | url= http://www.marinabooks.com/detailed?id=2%204827 | title= Kanidhathin kadhai| publisher= [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]], India |year=2001}}</ref> Natarasan has brought a series (10 books) in English under the title ''[[Scientific Revolution]]'' on ten of the most notable scientists such as [[Galileo Galilei]], [[Gregor Mendel]], [[Marie Curie]], and [[Albert Einstein]]. He is the writer and editor of ''The Puthagam Pesudhu'' – a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] monthly for books.<ref name=" writer, editor of The Puthagam Pesudhu">{{cite web | url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/72794135@N06/9554984854| title= writer, editor of The Puthagam Pesudhu | date= 25 May 2013 | publisher= Puthagam Pesudhu}}</ref>

== Short films ==
Natarasan's four stories have been made into short films.
# ''Ayesha'' – was adopted into a 28 minutes short film by B. sivakumar Released in year of 2000, short film Ayesha won the [[National Film Award]] – Best short film of the year (''National Film Festival, New Delhi'')<ref name=" Ayesha short film based on the famous novel ''Ayesha ''by Era. Natarasan ">{{cite web | url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov4A9fBrO0Q | title = Ayesha part 1 (ஆயிஷா ) | publisher= B.Sivakumar|year=2017 | access-date= 10 April 2017}}</ref>
# ''Madhi'' – another short story (which was published by [[India Today]] (t) magazine) about the pathetic every day life of the third gender was filmed into a short film by cinematographer – Editor [[B. Lenin]].
# ''Rathathin Vannathil'' (''the color of Blood'') story which received the ''Ilakkiya chindhanai Award'', was made into a feature film in the title Chellamma by Director Pa.sivakumar.
# ''Vattathin Pakkangal'' (the sides of circle) was filmed as a feature film again by Director Pa.sivakumar.
# Ayesha Natarasan also appears in a supporting role in Director [[Thangar Bachan]]'s famous film [[Ammavin Kaipesi]].<ref name="Thangar Bachan's famous film Ammavin Kaipesi">{{cite web | url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hN-FtNMljY | title = Thangar Bachan's famous film Ammavin Kaipesi | publisher= [[Ammavin Kaipesi]]|year=2012 | access-date= 13 November 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Era_Natarasn_with_Bala_Sahidya_Puraskar_Award_2014-11-14.jpg|thumb|Era Natarasan receiving the ''Bala Sahidya Puraskar Award'' from [[Sahitya Akademi]] in November 2014.]]

== Educational activism ==
As an educational scholar and psychologist he is an activist supporting alternative education.<ref name="Be role models, teachers told">{{cite web | url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/bal-sahitya-akademi-winner-dedicates-award-to-bookloving-children/article6349363.ece | title= Be role models, teachers told | work= The Hindu|year=2016| access-date= 12 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Literary meeting: 150 and going strong">{{cite web | url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/Literary-meetings-150-and-going-strong/article14544687.ece| title= Literary meeting: 150 and going strong | publisher= Circle of Paalam The Book Meet in Salem |year=2016 | access-date= 1 August 2016}}</ref> He has translated [[Paulo Freire]]'s ''[[Pedagogy]] of the Oppressed'', a book on education into [[Tamil language|Tamil]]. He served as a master resource Person on Right to Education Act for [[UNICEF]] Sponsored workshops in Tamil Nadu. He played a major role as the member secretary in the Vasanthi Devi Committee on Alternate Education Policy (citizen's charter – against PM Modi's New Education Policy).<ref name="Vasanthi Devi Committee on Alternate Education Policy ">{{cite web | url= http://humanrightsfoundation.org.in/new/?page_id=47&paged=5| title= Vasanthi Devi Committee on Alternate Education Policy | publisher= Vasanthi Devi Committee |year=2016 | access-date= 9 October 2016}}</ref> Ayesha Natarasan was in the Text Book committee formed by the Govt of Tamil Nadu on the eve of the common syllabus formation. As an education activist Natarasan has periodically participated in many education debates on television as a key speaker, including [[Star Vijay]]([[Neeya Naana]]),<ref name="Children's welfare activist Ayesha era Natarasan ">{{cite web | url= http://www.hotstar.com/tv/neeya-naana/1584/school-examinations/1000031368| title= Children's welfare activist Ayesha Era Natarasan | publisher= [[Star Vijay]] ([[Neeya Naana]])* Season 10 * Episode 249 |year=2016 | access-date= 6 March 2011}}</ref> [[Sun TV (India)]] (virundhinar pakkam)<ref name=" Sun Tv (Virundhinar Pakkam )">{{cite web | url= http://www.tamiltvshows.net/tamil-tv-shows/sun-tv-shows/virundhinar-pakkam-11-11-2015-ayeesha-era-natarasan-tamil-nadu-veterinary-and-animal-sciences-university-sun-tv-show/| title= Sun Tv (Virundhinar Pakkam )| publisher= Sun TV (India)|year=2015 | access-date= 11 November 2015}}</ref> etc., His articles and interviews on education have appeared in many leading magazines/Dailies such as [[The Hindu]],<ref name="Metroplus'Insulting the Child isn't education"/> [[Ananda Vikatan]],<ref name="'Ayisha' Natarasan's speech at Sakthi Vikatan's Camp"/> [[The Times of India]] (city)<ref name="Children's Day: Copies of Tamil novelette Ayesha distributed to students, teachers">{{cite web | url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Childrens-Day-Copies-of-Tamil-novelette-Ayesha-distributed-to-students-teachers/articleshow/45148539.cms| title= Children's Day: Copies of Tamil novelette Ayesha distributed to students, teachers | publisher= [[The Times of India]](city) |year=2014| access-date= 14 November 2014}}</ref> [[Kungumam (magazine)|Kungumam]] Vazhikatti, kalki Magazine etc., Era.Natarasan is also an active participant,<ref name="ALAP book council trainer">{{cite web | url= http://alap.bookcouncil.sg/courses/detail/writing-for-children-in-tamil| title= ALAP book council trainer | publisher= Academy of Literary Arts and Publishing Singapore |year=2012}}</ref> Resource Person cum trainer in book festivals children content seminars<ref name="AFCC National Book Development Council">{{cite web | url= https://afcc.com.sg/2012/speakers/era-natarasan/| title= AFCC National Book Development Council | publisher= AFCC|year=2012}}</ref> and literary meets.<ref name="Literary meeting: 150 and going strong"/> Ayesha Era.Natarasan was the Chief Organiser of the "[[National Children's Book Festival]]" conducted in [[Cuddalore]] South [[India]] (from 10 to 15 November 2017 ) collectively by [[National Book Trust]], Books For Children and [[Sahitya Akademi]] involving more than 50,000 children.<ref name= "National Children's Book Festival">{{cite web | url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXIN-73AzVg| title= National Children's Book Festival| publisher= [[Kalaignar TV]]|year=2017 | access-date= 11 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= "National Children's Book Festival 2017">{{cite web | url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve10aErh_gw| title= National Children's Book Festival 2017| publisher= Vetri Tv|year=2017 | access-date= 11 November 2017}}</ref><ref name= "Vikatan Exclusive">{{cite web | url= https://www.vikatan.com/news/tamilnadu/108017-from-chota-bheem-to-sujatha-novels-highlights-of-children-book-festival.html| title= Vikatan Exclusive| publisher= vikatan|year=2017 | access-date= 17 November 2017}}</ref> Era Natarasan has given a discourse about the theme of "Books That Changed The World" in [[Anna Centenary Library]] on the date of 30 June 2018.<ref name= "Books That Changed The World">{{cite web | url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KwzylFA_NI| title= Books That Changed The World| publisher= [[Anna Centenary Library]]|year=2018 | access-date= 30 June 2018}}</ref>

=== Other awards and honours ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year of award or honour !! Name of award or honour !! Awarding organisation
|-
| 1995
| Ilakiya Chindhanai Award (Best Short Story)
| Ilakya Chindhanai, [[Chennai]].
|-
| 2001
| Tamil Valarchithurai Award
| [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Tamil Valarchithurai Award"/>
|-
| 2002
| Thirpur Tamil Sangam Award (Best Translation award)
| Thirupur Tamil Sangam.
|-
| 2008
| Dr. Radhakrishnan Award
| [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Dr.Radhakrishnan Award">{{cite web | url= http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/Teachers-presented-with-Dr.-Radhakrishnan-Awards/article15297622.ece| title= Dr.Radhakrishnan Award | publisher= [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] |year=2008|access-date=5 September 2008}}</ref>
|-
| 2013
| Tamil Valarchithurai Award
| [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Tamil Valarchithurai Award">{{cite web | url= http://www.tamilvalarchithurai.com/a/home| title= Tamil Valarchithurai Award | publisher= [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] |year=2013}}</ref>
|-
| 2014
| Vikatan Award (Best children fiction)
| [[Ananda Vikatan]].
|-
| 2014
| Nigari Award (Samathuva Arisiyar of the year)
| Manarkeni Pathippagam (publications).<ref name="Manarkeni Pathippagam">{{cite web | url= https://www.tamilbookz.com/manarkeni-pathippagam.html| title= Manarkeni Pathippagam| publisher= Manarkeni Pathippagam |year=2014 }}</ref>
|-
| 2014
| Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award
| [[Sahitya Akademi]], [[Government of India]].<ref name="Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award">{{cite web| url= http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/awards/bal%20sahitya%20samman_suchi.jsp| title= Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award| publisher= Sahitya Academy, [[Government of India]]|year= 2015| access-date= 24 January 2015| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150630000355/http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/awards/bal%20sahitya%20samman_suchi.jsp| archive-date= 30 June 2015| url-status= dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2015
| Sujatha Award (Best Siru Pathirigai)
| Uyirmmai magazine, Sujatha [[Trust (law)|Trust]].<ref name="Sujatha Award">{{cite web | url= http://www.Uyirmmai.com| title= Sujatha Award| publisher= Uyirmmai |year=2016}}</ref>
|-
| 2016
| Distinguished Alumni Award
| [[Jamal mohamed college]].<ref name="Distinguished Alumni Award">{{cite web | url= http://www.jmcalumni.org.sg/?p=273| title= Distinguished Alumni Award| publisher= [[Jamal mohamed college]] |year=2016| access-date= 15 August 2016}}</ref>
|}

==Notable works==
{{refbegin|20em}}
*''Vaasik kalam'' (2017, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Oru Thozhanum Moonru Nanbargalum'' (2006, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Rose'' (2002, Books for children)
*''[[Ayesha (Natarasan novel)|Ayesha]]'' (2000, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''kodhaidoscope'' (2014, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Srinrvasa Ramanujam-125'' ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Kanitha Methaigalin Facebook'', {{ISBN|9789381908945}}. (2012, [[Books for children]])
*''Neengalum Vingani Aaga Vendum Endru Vrumbugireerkala'', {{ISBN|9789383661718}} [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]]
*''Nano Thozhilnutpam'', {{ISBN|9789380325996}} (2010, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Eyarpiyal Parisothanaigal'', {{ISBN|9789384421205}} (2000, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Booma''. {{ISBN|9789381908761}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Darwin School'', {{ISBN|9789384421335}} (2014, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Ureka Count'', {{ISBN|978818476617-2}} (2000, [[vikatan]])
*''[[Michael Faraday]]'' ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Oru Thooya Mozhiyin Thuyara Kuzhandhaikal'', {{ISBN|978818737152-6}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Madhi Ennum manidhanin maranam kurithu'' ,{{ISBN|9789381908013}} (Sneha publication)
*''Palitheen Paigal'' (novel), {{ISBN|978-818737152-6}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Ithu Yarudaiya Vagupparai'', {{ISBN|9789383661060}} (2013, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Ulaga Kalviyalargal'', {{ISBN|9789381908662}} (2009, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Semmnozhigal'', ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Ulagileye Magizhchiyana Siruvan'', {{ISBN|9789381908976}} (2012, [[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Nee Erumbukalai Nesikkiraayaa'', {{ISBN|9789380325682}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Vaanga Ariviyal Pesalaam'', {{ISBN|9789385377372}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Uruvaakum Ullam'', {{ISBN|9789385377976}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Pavlov'', {{ISBN|978-93-85377-49-5}} ([[Books for children]])
*''Antoine Lavisier'', {{ISBN|978-93-85377-45-7}} ([[Books for children]])
*''Issac Newton'', {{ISBN|978-93-85377-44-0}} ([[Bharathi Puthakalayam]])
*''Wings of Learning'' (will RTE service) (Indian University Press)
{{refend}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Children's literature}}
* [[List of Indian writers]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Era Natarasan}}
*{{Official website|eranatarasan.com}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|India|Literature}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Natarasan, Era}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Novelists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tamil-language writers]]
[[Category:Tamil writers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Tamil]]
[[Category:Indian children's writers]]
[[Category:Educators from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:Children's writers in Tamil]]
[[Category:Indian science fiction writers]]
[[Category:People from Tiruchirappalli district]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Era Natarasan - Revision history

Wmltusa at 00:23, 4 May 2026