ShielaPaxton36 at 18:39, 8 August 2025

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{{short description|Indian writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Geetha Hiranyan
| image = Geetha Hiranyan.jpg
| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Geetha Potti
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1956|3|20}}
| birth_place = Kottavattom, [[Kottarakkara]], [[Kollam district]], [[Kerala]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2002|1|2|1956|3|20}}
| death_place = [[Thrissur]], [[Kerala]], India
| occupation = Writer, author
| spouse = K. K. Hiranyan
| children = Uma and Anand
| relatives = {{ubl|Sreedharan Potti (father)|Vasumathy Devi (mother)}}
| notableworks = {{ubl|''Ottasnappil Othukkanavilla Janmasathyam''|''Asangaditha''|''Iniyum Veedaatha Hridayathinte Kadam''}}
| awards = {{ubl|1994 Kunju Pilla Smaraka Award|2001 G. Sankara Kurup Janmasathabdhi Kavitha Award|2001 T. P. Kishor Award|2001 Ankanam Award}}
}}
'''Geetha Hiranyan''' (20 March 1956 – 2 January 2002) was an Indian writer of [[Malayalam literature]]. Known for her short stories, compiled in three books, ''Ottasnappil Othukkanavilla Janmasathyam'', ''Asangaditha'' and ''Iniyum Veedatha Hrudayathinte Kadam'', she was a recipient of a number of honours including ''[[G. Sankara Kurup]] Janmasathabdhi Kavitha Award'' and ''Kunju Pilla Smaraka Award''.

==Biography==
Geetha Hiranyan, née Geetha Potti, was born on 20 March 1956 at Kottavattom, near [[Kottarakara]] in [[Kollam district]] of the south Indian state of [[Kerala]]<ref name="Geetha Hiranyan - Women Writers of Kerala">{{Cite web |url=http://womenwritersofkerala.com/author.php?author_id=174&lang=en |title=Geetha Hiranyan - Women Writers of Kerala |website=womenwritersofkerala.com |publisher=womenwritersofkerala.com}}</ref> to Thottavttath C. Sreedharan Potti and Vasumathy Devi; she was related to the noted writer and social reformer, [[Lalithambika Antharjanam]].<ref name="keralaliterature.com">{{Cite web |url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/author.php?authid=264 |title=Geetha Hiranyan |publisher=keralaliterature.com |access-date=24 March 2019 |archive-date=24 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324153148/http://keralaliterature.com/old/author.php%3Fauthid%3D264 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After earning master's and MPhil degrees, she started her career as a lecturer at [[Malabar Christian College]], simultaneously continuing her doctoral studies.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/GHiranyan/Html/Geethagraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-03-24 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-24}}</ref> Later she taught at various government colleges in [[Malappuram]], [[Kalpetta]], [[Perinthalmanna]], [[Thrissur]], [[Pattambi]] and [[Kodungalloor]] before joining [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] as the publications officer on deputation. It was at this time, she became ill due to which she could not continue her service.<ref name="keralaliterature.com" />

Geetha was married to K. K. Hiranyan, a writer, critic and an academic, and the couple had a daughter, Uma and a son Ananthakrishnan. She died due to [[cancer]] on 2 January 2002, aged 43, at her home in Thrissur and her dead body was cremated at Ullannoor Mana, her ancestral house.<ref name="കഥാകൃത്ത് ഗീതാ ഹിരണ്യന്‍ അന്തരിച്ചു">{{Cite web |url=https://malayalam.oneindia.com/culture/2002/010202gita.html |title=കഥാകൃത്ത് ഗീതാ ഹിരണ്യന്‍ അന്തരിച്ചു |last=Staff |date=2002-01-02 |website=malayalam.oneindia.com |language=ml |access-date=2019-03-24}}</ref> She is survived by her daughter Uma and son Ananthakrishnan. Her husband, who outlived her for 22 years, died on 17 July 2024, aged 70.

== Legacy and honours ==
Geetha participated in a literary competition organized by [[Mathrubhumi]] for their ''[[Vishu]] edition'' in 1979 and her story, ''Deerghapankan'', was selected for the consolation prize.<ref name="Geetha Hiranyan - Women Writers of Kerala" /> Two decades later, in 1999, she published her first short story anthology, ''Ottasnappil Othukkanavilla Janmasathyam'' (It is not Possible to Frame Life's Truth in a Single Shot).<ref name="Malayalam Books - Puzha">{{Cite web |url=http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/book-detail.cgi?code=1255 |title=Malayalam Books - Puzha |website=www.puzha.com |access-date=2019-03-24 |archive-date=14 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214182719/http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/book-detail.cgi?code=1255 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her next two anthologies, ''Iniyum Veedaattha Hridayathinte Kadam''<ref name="Iniyum Veedatha Hridayathinte ... - Geetha Hiranyan (; 8126404485)">{{Cite web |url=http://www.marymartin.com/web/selectedIndex?mEntry=38878 |title=Iniyum Veedatha Hridayathinte ... - Geetha Hiranyan (; 8126404485) |date=2019-03-24 |website=www.marymartin.com |access-date=2019-03-24 |archive-date=14 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214182440/http://www.marymartin.com/web/selectedIndex?mEntry=38878 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ''Asangaditha''<ref name="Asamghaditha, Book, Stories ,Written By Geetha Hiranyan">{{Cite web |url=https://www.maebag.com/Product/5573/Asamghaditha |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214183818/http://www.maebag.com/Product/5573/Asamghaditha |url-status=usurped |archive-date=14 December 2017 |title=Asamghaditha, Book, Stories ,Written By Geetha Hiranyan |date=2019-03-24 |website=Maebag.com |language=en |access-date=2019-03-24}}</ref> were published in 2002, shortly after her death. Her last story, ''Shilpa is Writing a Story'', was included in ''Asangaditha''.<ref name="thehindu.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/on-the-works-of-the-late-geetha-hiranyan/article7891469.ece|title=The beginning of the end: On the works of the late Geetha Hiranyan|newspaper=The Hindu|date=19 November 2015|first=Sreedevi K.|last=Nair|accessdate=14 August 2019}}</ref> In 2008, a complete collection was published under the title, ''Geetha Hiranyante Kathakal'' (The Stories Of Geetha Hiranyan).<ref name="Geethahiranyante Kathakal">{{Cite book |title=Geethahiranyante Kathakal |last=Hiranyan |first=Geetha |date=2009-11-18 |publisher=Current Books Thrissur |id={{ASIN|8122607608|country=in}} }}</ref> Her story was also included in the book, ''Daughters of Kerala : twenty-five short stories by award-winning authors'', which contains the English translations of stories by women writers of Kerala.<ref name="Daughters of Kerala: twenty-five short stories by award-winning authors">{{Cite book |title=Daughters of Kerala: twenty-five short stories by award-winning authors |last=Chandersekaran |first=Achamma C |date=2004 |publisher=Hats Off Books |language=English |oclc=56477747 }}</ref>

Geetha received the ''Kunju Pilla Smaraka Puraskaram'' in 1994.<ref name="കഥാകൃത്ത് ഗീതാ ഹിരണ്യന്‍ അന്തരിച്ചു" /> She received three awards in 2001, the ''Ankanam Award'', ''[[G. Sankara Kurup]] Centenary Award for Poetry'' and T. P. Kishore Award.<ref name="keralaliterature.com" /> [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] has instituted an annual award, ''Geetha Hiranyan Endowment Award'', in her honour, for writers below the age of 35, to recognize excellence in Malayalam literature.<ref name="Geetha Hiranyan Endowment Award">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Endowments/Award_GHiranyan.htm |title=Geetha Hiranyan Endowment Award |date=2019-03-24 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/pdf/Award-Announcement-%2710.pdf |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards - 2010 |publisher=[[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] |date=6 January 2011 |accessdate=20 July 2015}}</ref> [[Kerala Bhasha Institute]] has published her biography, under the title, ''Geetha Hiranyan:Jeeva Charithram'', written by Sheeba Divakaran.<ref name="Geetha Hiranyan:Jeeva charithram">{{Cite web |url=https://catalog.uoc.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=232463&query_desc=kw%252Cwrdl%253A%2520geetha%2520hiranyan |title=Geetha Hiranyan:Jeeva charithram |last=Sheeba |first=Divakaran |date=2013 |publisher=Kerala Bhasha Institute |access-date=2019-03-24 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
[[File:2nd page of Prathibhavam newspaper-1st edition.jpg|right|200 px|thumb|'''Sukham,''' the poem of Geetha Hiranyan in [[Prathibhavam]] newspaper.]]
===Stories===
* {{Cite book |url=https://catalog.uoc.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=206076&query_desc=kw%252Cwrdl%253A%2520geetha%2520hiranyan |title=Otta Snapil Othukkanavilla Oru Janmasathyam |last=Geetha Hiranyan |date=1999 |publisher=Current Books |location=Current Books, Thrissur}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://catalog.uoc.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=206075&query_desc=kw%252Cwrdl%253A%2520geetha%2520hiranyan |title=Asankhatitha |last=Geetha Hiranyan |date=2002 |publisher=Current Books |location=Current Books, Thrissur}}
* {{Cite book |title=Iniyum Veedatha Hridayathinte Kadam |last=Geetha Hiranyan |date=2002 |publisher=DC Books |isbn=8126404485 |location=Kottayam |oclc=51086224}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://catalog.uoc.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=228722&query_desc=kw%252Cwrdl%253A%2520geetha%2520hiranyan |title=Geetha Hiranyante kadhakal |last=Geetha Hiranyan |date=2008 |publisher=Current Books |location=Thrissur}}

===Poems===
* Sukham ([[Prathibhavam]]-2000)<ref name="keralakaumudi-1">{{cite web|url=https://keralakaumudi.com/news/news.php?id=223262&u=literature--books-awards|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122113428/https://keralakaumudi.com/news/news.php?id=223262&u=literature--books-awards|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 November 2022|title=ഒരു ഗീതകം പോലെ, മലയാളികളുടെ പ്രിയങ്കരിയായ സാഹിത്യകാരിയുടെ ഓർമ്മയ്ക്ക്|publisher=Keralakaumudi|access-date=12 January 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* [[List of Malayalam-language authors by category]]
* [[List of Malayalam-language authors]]
{{div col end}}
{{Portal|India|Literature}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |url=http://keralabookstore.com/book/geetha-hiranyan/10973/ |title=Geetha Hiranyan |last=Sheeba Divakaran |publisher=Kerala Bhasha Institute |year=2013 |isbn=9788176384490 |language=ml}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/lf/2002/03/05/stories/2002030500090200.htm |title=From one heart to another |last=Anand Haridas |date=5 March 2002 |website=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=2019-03-24}}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Geetha Hiranyan}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/GHiranyan/Html/GeethaHiranyan.htm |title=Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahtya Akademi |date=2019-03-24 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-24}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/GHiranyan/Html/GeethaBooks.htm |title=List of works |date=2019-03-24 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-24}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiranyan, Geetha}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Women writers from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Malabar Christian College]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in India]]

Geetha Hiranyan - Revision history

ShielaPaxton36 at 18:39, 8 August 2025