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{{Short description|Indian Malayalam-English translator}}
{{Indian patronymic|Gita|Krishnankutty}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Gita Krishnankutty
| image = Mrs Gita Krishnankutty.jpg
| imagesize =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Chengamanad, Ernakulam district|Chengammanad]], Kerala
| death_place =
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| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = [[University of Mysore]]
| occupation = Translator
| movement =
| notableworks =
| spouse =
| children =
| awards = [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] <br /> [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions]] <br /> [[Crossword Book Award]]
| influences =
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}}
'''Gita Krishnankutty''' is a Malayalam-English translator from Kerala, India. She has also written subtitles for many noted Malayalam films. She received many awards including [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] for Translation, [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions]] and [[Crossword Book Award]] for Translation.

==Biography==
Gita Krishnankutty was born and raised in [[Chengamanad, Ernakulam district|Chengammanad]], near [[Aluva]] in [[Ernakulam district]].<ref name="Keralaliterature">{{cite web |title=ഗീതാ കൃഷ്ണന്‍കുട്ടി |url=https://keralaliterature.com/malayalam-writers-%e0%b4%ae%e0%b4%b2%e0%b4%af%e0%b4%be%e0%b4%b3%e0%b4%82-%e0%b4%8e%e0%b4%b4%e0%b5%81%e0%b4%a4%e0%b5%8d%e0%b4%a4%e0%b5%81%e0%b4%95%e0%b4%be%e0%b4%b0%e0%b5%8d/%e0%b4%97%e0%b5%80%e0%b4%a4%e0%b4%be-%e0%b4%95%e0%b5%83%e0%b4%b7%e0%b5%8d%e0%b4%a3%e0%b4%a8%e0%b5%8d%e2%80%8d%e0%b4%95%e0%b5%81%e0%b4%9f%e0%b5%8d%e0%b4%9f%e0%b4%bf/ |website=Keralaliterature.com |date=14 October 2017}}</ref> Her father, who was from [[Palakkad]], was an officer in the Madras Presidency Service.<ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite news |title=വിവർത്തനവും സബ്‌ടൈറ്റിലിങ്ങും ഏറെ ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നു; എം.ടിയുടെ ഭാഷയിലെ ലാളിത്യമാണ് വെല്ലുവിളി! |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/literature/interviews/geetha-krishnankutty-award-winning-translator-interview-1.9298502 |work=[[Mathrubhumi]] |date=13 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Her mother was from Chengamanad.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> Since her father got transferred every three years, she completed her studies in different places. After studying in [[Ooty]] and [[Coonoor]], she also studied in [[Kozhikode]] for three years, when her father worked at the district hospital there.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/>

At the age of nineteen, she got married and moved to [[Chennai]].<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> Her husband was a cardiologist practicing in Chennai.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> She stopped her studies upon marriage and later, after the age of thirty-seven, joined the [[University of Mysore]] for an M.A. in English Literature.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> She later earned her doctorate from the same University. Her chosen research topic was Comparative Literature.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> After receiving her doctorate, she joined Alliance Française, a Franco-Indian nonprofit association, to study French.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/>

==Literary career==
===Translations===
It was [[Susie Tharu]] who introduced Gita to translation literature. Tharu had decided to publish a two-volume book, 'Women Writing in India,' and sent a story by [[Rajalakshmi]] and a story by [[Lalithambika Antharjanam]] to be translated into it.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> Someone else had referred her to Tharu, who liked the translated stories and later asked if she could translate a few more stories by Lalithambika Antharjan. When she told her that she didn't have much experience in translation, Tharu said she could help with editing and proofreading. That's how her first published work, ''Cast Me Out If You Will'' was written.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> The book was published by Stree Publishers in [[Kolkata]] and Feminist Press in the US.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/>

Later [[M.T. Vasudevan Nair]]'s novel ''Kaalam'' was translated without his permission and sent to Vikas Publications, but they returned it saying it was too large.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> Later, M. T. learned about this from her, and when [[Orient Longman]] wrote to MT asking for permission to translate a book, he introduced the novel that Geeta had translated to them.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> Later, she translated many other famous novels by M.T.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/>

===Subtitling===
Gita has also contributed to the field of cinema subtitling. P.K. Nair, who was the director of the Pune Film Archives, was the one who gave her initial help in subtitling.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> Gayatri Chatterjee taught her the basics of subtitling.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> She has subtitled many Malayalam films including '[[Neelakuyil]]' directed by [[Ramu Kariat]], '[[Esthappan]]' by [[P. Bhaskaran]], [[G. Aravindan|Aravindan]]'s '[[Kummatty]]', '[[Amma Ariyan]]' by [[John Abraham]] and [[Shyamaprasad]]'s '[[Agnisakshi (1999 film)|Agnisakshi]]'.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/><ref name="Keralaliterature"/>

==Translated works==
English titles are given in bracket. Source:<ref name="Keralaliterature"/>
*[[Anand (writer)|Anand]]'s ''Marana Certificate'' (Death Certificate) (1983)
*[[M.T. Vasudevan Nair]]'s novel ''[[Kaalam (novel)|Kaalam]]'' (Time)
* M.T's ''[[Naalukettu (novel)|Nalukettu]]'' as {{cite book|title=Naalukettu: The House Around the Courtyard|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|year=2008}}
*M.T's ''[[Randamoozham]]'' as {{cite book|title=Bhima: The lone warrior|publisher=[[Harper Perennial]]|year=2018}}
* M.T's ''[[Manju (novel)|Manju]]'' (Mist)
* M.T's ''Iruttinte Athmav'' (The Soul of Darkness)
* ''Athmahathya'' (Suicide)
* [[Paul Zacharia]]'s ''Bhaskara Patelarum mattu kathakalum'' (Bhaskara Patel and other stories)
* [[N. P. Mohammed]]'s ''Daivathinte Kannu'' (The Eye of the God)
* [[M. Mukundan]]'s''Mayyazhi Puzhayute Theerangalil'' (On the Banks of Mayyazhi)
* [[Perumthachan (film)|Perumthachan]] (The Master Carpenter/Screenplay)
* [[Anand (writer)|Anand]]'s ''Govardhante Yathrakal'' (Govardhan's Travel)
* [[Lalithambika Antharjanam]]'s ''Kuttasammatham'' (Admission of Guilt)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Srilata |first1=K. |title=When a Namboodiri woman spoke out: Lalithambika Antharjanam's stories were ahead of its times |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/lalithambika-antharjanam-gita-krishnankutty-admission-of-guilt-kuttasammatham-translation-malayalam-cast-me-out-if-you-will/article65855981.ece |work=The Hindu |date=9 September 2022 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
* Bear With Me, Amma, first came out as ''Ammakku'' (For Mother), by M. T.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dugar |first1=Sonal |title='Bear With Me, Amma': For writer MT Vasudevan, fiction is a blend of reality and imagination |url=https://scroll.in/article/1064683/bear-with-me-amma-for-writer-mt-vasudevan-fiction-is-a-blend-of-reality-and-imagination |work=Scroll.in |date=17 March 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* M.T.'s Three Screenplays and their Stories: [[Nirmalyam]], [[Oppol]] & [[Ennu Swantham Janakikutty]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Menon |first1=Sadanand |title=A journey to the heart of human conflict: Three Screenplays and their Stories |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/a-journey-to-the-heart-of-human-conflict-three-screenplays-and-their-stories/article20753929.ece |work=The Hindu |date=25 November 2017 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
*{{cite book|title=WRITINGS OF M T VASUDEVAN NAIR|publisher=[[Orient Blackswan]]|year=2018|isbn=978-9352873609}}
*{{cite book|title=Ambai: Novellas and Essays|publisher=Katha|year=2002|isbn=978-8185586953}}
*{{cite book|title=A Life of Healing: A Biography of Vaidyaratnam P.S.Varier|publisher=Penguin India|year=2001|isbn=978-0670049158}}
*''Sketches: The Memoir of an Artist'', English translation [[Namboothiri (artist)|Artist Namboothiri]]'s memoir, ''Sketches''

==Awards and honors==
*[[Sahitya Akademi Award]] for Translation in 1999, for the translation of ''Daivatthinte Kannu'' (God's Eye)<ref name="Keralaliterature"/>
*[[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions]]<ref>{{cite news |author=T. N. M. Staff |title=Prof TJ Joseph's autobiography wins Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/prof-tj-joseph-s-autobiography-wins-kerala-sahitya-akademi-award-166277 |work=The News Minute |date=28 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Crossword Book Award]] for Translation<ref name="dailyeye">{{cite web |title=A Life in Translation: Gita Krishnankutty |url=https://thedailyeye.info/thought-box/a-life-in-translation-gita-krishnankutty/16d963002d7b7a8c |website=thedailyeye.info |language=en}}</ref>
*Abdulla memorial award for translation<ref>{{cite news |author=Staff Reporter |title=Maiden V. Abdulla award for translation presented |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/maiden-v-abdulla-award-for-translation-presented/article29249292.ece |work=The Hindu |date=24 August 2019 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
*Katha Award<ref name="dailyeye"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krishnankutty, Gita}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in English]]
[[Category:Translators to English]]
[[Category:Women writers from Kerala]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women writers]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Gita Krishnankutty - Revision history

XuHzRuDLW at 04:35, 3 October 2025