Mohammad.Fahim at 04:37, 29 April 2026

2026-04-29T04:37:57Z

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{{short description|Indian writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox writer 
| name = K. R. Meera
| image = KR Meera KLF-2016.JPG
| caption = K.R. Meera at Kerala Literature Festival 2016
| pseudonym =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1970|02|19}}
| birth_place = [[Sasthamkotta]], [[Kollam|Kollam district]], [[Kerala]], India
| occupation = Novelist, [[short story writer]], [[journalist]], [[screenplay writer]], [[columnist]]
| nationality = Indian
| genre = [[Novel]], [[short story]]
| notableworks = ''Ave Maria'', ''[[Aarachaar]]''
| spouse = M. S. Dileep
| children = 1
| awards = [[Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award]]<br />[[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]<br />[[Malayalam literary awards#Odakkuzhal Award|Odakkuzhal Award]]<br />[[Vayalar Award]]
}}

'''K. R. Meera''' (born 19 February 1970) is an Indian author and journalist, who writes in [[Malayalam]]. She was born in [[Sasthamkotta]], [[Kollam|Kollam district]] in [[Kerala]]. She worked as a [[journalist]] in ''[[Malayala Manorama]]'' but later resigned to concentrate more on writing. She started writing fiction in 2001 and her first short story collection ''Ormayude Njarambu'' was published in 2002. Since then she has published five collections of short stories, two novellas, five novels and two children's books. She won the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2009 for her short-story, ''Ave Maria''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121108084647/http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/12/stories/2010051258991000.htm "Sahitya Academy awards announced"]</ref> Her novel ''[[Aarachaar]]'' (2012) published by DC Books received several awards including the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]] ([[2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards|2013]]), [[Odakkuzhal Award]] (2013), [[Vayalar Award]] (2014) and [[Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award]] (2015). It was also shortlisted for the 2016 [[DSC Prize for South Asian Literature]].

==Early and personal life==
Meera was born in [[Sasthamkotta]], [[Kollam|Kollam district]] in [[Kerala]] as the daughter of Ramachandran Pillai and Amritakumari, both professors.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} She read a variety of Malayalam books and started writing as early as seven or eight years old and wrote short stories and poems.<ref name=":1" /> Her mother's friend, {{ill|lt=M. D. Ratnamma|M. D. Ratnamma|ml|എം.ഡി. രത്നമ്മ|v=ib}} (എം.ഡി. രത്നമ്മ), a novelist, inspired her and gave an impression to her that a writer "is someone very special."<ref name=":1" /> She completed her pre-degree from [[Dewaswom Board College]], Sasthamcotta. She passed her master's degree in Communicative English from [[Gandhigram Rural Institute]], [[Dindigul]], [[Tamil Nadu]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

Meera lives in [[Kottayam]] with her husband M.S. Dileep, who is a journalist with ''[[Malayala Manorama]]''. Their only daughter Shruti was a residential student at the [[Rishi Valley School]], [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|author=Varuna Verma|date=18 January 2015|title='A writer is inherently a feminist, humanist, environmentalist and a socialist'|newspaper=Telegraph|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150118/jsp/7days/story_8924.jsp|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150212193633/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150118/jsp/7days/story_8924.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 February 2015|access-date=13 February 2015}}</ref>

==Journalistic career==
In 1993, she joined as a journalist in [[Kottayam]]-based Malayalam daily ''[[Malayala Manorama]],'' and was the first female journalist to be hired at the newspaper.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Kuruvilla|first=Elizabeth|date=2017-03-03|title=Writing is my revenge: K.R. Meera|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/da0MI0UGvgjZ77gPEf4M6O/Writing-is-my-revenge-KR-Meera.html|access-date=2020-07-13|website=Livemint|language=en}}</ref> In 2006, following publication of several stories, Meera gave up journalism to take up writing as a full-time occupation.<ref name="Hindu1">{{cite news |author=Nandini Nair |title=Telling Herstory |newspaper=Business Line |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/Telling-Herstory/article20852779.ece |access-date=15 May 2023}}</ref> She was the senior sub-editor of ''Malayala Manorama'' when she resigned. During her journalistic career, she published many special stories which won her numerous awards and recognitions. She won the PUCL Human Rights National Award for Journalism in 1998 for an investigative series on the plight of women labourers in Kerala. This series also won the [[Chowara Parameswaran]] Award instituted by [[Kerala Press Academy]]. A series on children won her the Deepalaya National Journalism Award for Child Rights in 2001.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

==Literary career==
Meera's first published work was a story submitted to Mathrubhumi, a magazine, in 2000.<ref name=":0" /> Her first short story collection ''Ormayude Njarambu'' was published in 2002. This collection won the Gita Hiranyan Endowment Award instituted by [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] and the Ankanam Literary Award. Her next book ''Mohamanja'' was published in 2004. It was translated into English by J. Devika as ''Yellow is the Colour of Longing'' (Penguin, 2011). The title story, which explores the absurdity of desire, was also published in ''Arshilata: Women's Fiction from India and Bangladesh'' (ed. Niaz Zaman). She won the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2008 for the collection ''Ave Maria''. The title story of the book is a brutal glimpse into the debris of Kerala's Communist ideology, the fault lines left behind in families. A translation of this story was included in the book ''First Proof 5, The Penguin Book of New Writing from India'' (Penguin, 2010).<ref name="Hindu2">{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-literaryreview/a-bunch-of-blooms/article900391.ece/ |title=A bunch of blooms |author= Shreekumar Varma |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2 May 2010 |access-date=13 February 2015}}</ref> Her other collections include ''K. R. Meerayude Kathakal'', a collection of major 26 stories published so far, including ''Machakathe Thachan, Ormayude Njarambu, Mohamanja, Ave Maria, Karineela, Malakhayude Marukukal, Soorpanakha, Alif Laila'' and ''Ottapalam Kadakkuvolam''.

Her early novels include ''Aa Maratheyum Marannu Marannu Njan, Meera Saadhu, Nethronmeelanam'' and ''Yudasinte Suvishesham''. ''Meera Sadhu'' (DC Books, 2008) tells the story of an IIT graduate abandoned at a Krishna temple after going through some torrid times in her married life. Five of her short novels have been compiled into a single book titled ''Meerayude Novellakal'' (2014).

''[[Aarachaar]] (Hangwoman'' in English) widely regarded as her masterpiece, was originally serialised in ''[[Madhyamam Weekly]]'' and was published as a book by DC Books in 2012. Set in [[Bengal]], it tells the story of a family of executioners with a long lineage, beginning in the fourth century BC. The protagonist of the novel, Chetna, is a strong and tenacious woman who struggles to inherit this profession. According to noted literary critic [[M. Leelavathy]], ''Aarachaar'' is one of the best literary works produced in Malayalam and follows the legacy of [[O. V. Vijayan]]'s classic work ''[[Khasakkinte Itihasam]]''.<ref name="dcbooks.com">[http://www.dcbooks.com/odakkuzhal-award-presented-to-k-r-meera.html "ആരാച്ചാര്‍ മലയാളത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും നല്ല നോവലുകളിലൊന്ന് : ഡോ. എം ലീലാവതി"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323151417/http://www.dcbooks.com/odakkuzhal-award-presented-to-k-r-meera.html|date=2014-03-23}}. DC Books. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.</ref> The novel received the [[2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards|2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Sahitya-Akademi-award-for-Meeras-Aarachar/articleshow/45583043.cms|title=Sahitya Akademi award for Meera's 'Aarachar'|newspaper=The Times of India|date=20 December 2014|access-date=23 December 2014}}</ref> It was also awarded the prestigious [[Malayalam literary awards#Odakkuzhal Award|Odakkuzhal Award]] in 2013, [[Vayalar Award]] in 2014 and [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2015. The novel has sold more than 38,000 copies (as of January 2015).<ref name=Telegraph/> The novel was translated into English by J. Devika under the title ''Hangwoman: Everyone Loves a Good Hanging'' ([[Hamish Hamilton]], 2014). ''Hangwoman'' was shortlisted for the prestigious [[DSC Prize for South Asian Literature]] 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/meeras-hangwoman-in-dsc-prize-shortlist/article7926261.ece|title=Meera's Hangwoman in DSC prize shortlist|date=28 November 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=5 December 2015}}</ref> Her latest novel ''Sooryane Aninja Oru Stree'' is being published in ''[[Vanitha]]'' magazine.<ref name=Manorama>{{cite news |url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/opinion-pieces/a-journey-through-the-soul.html |title=A journey through the soul |author=Shahla Kunjumohammad |newspaper=Malayala Manorama |date=20 January 2015 |access-date=13 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212211845/http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/opinion-pieces/a-journey-through-the-soul.html |archive-date=12 February 2015 }}</ref>

She has also been noted as a screenplay writer of four [[Serial film|serials]]. She was credited as the associate in writing for the film ''[[Ore Kadal]]'', a [[National Film Awards|National Award]] winner. She is also a well-known column-writer in [[Malayalam]].

==Influences==
Meera cites [[E. V. Krishna Pillai]], [[Kamala Surayya|Kamala Das]], [[T. Padmanabhan]], [[S. V. Venugopan Nair]], [[Anand (writer)|Anand]], [[M. Mukundan]], [[C. V. Sreeraman]], [[O. N. V. Kurup]], [[Sugathakumari]], [[Paul Zacharia]], and has "a long list" of Malayalam authors that influenced her works.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=K R Meera|url=http://www.platform-mag.com/literature/k-r-meera.html|access-date=2020-07-13|website=www.platform-mag.com}}</ref> Amongst non-Indian writers, she cites [[Maxim Gorky]], [[Ayn Rand]], and particularly [[Gabriel García Márquez|Gabriel Garcia Marquez]] as a primary influences.<ref name=":1" />

== Themes ==
Her work explores themes relating to patriarchy, discrimination, and individuality, focusing on the inner lives of women and challenging traditional power dynamics.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last1=Jayaraman|first1=Geetha|date=2020-01-21|title=K R Meera: Writers don't have the option of being apolitical|url=http://qjk.9bc.myftpupload.com/2020/01/21/k-r-meera-writers-dont-have-the-option-of-being-apolitical/|access-date=2020-07-13|website=KochiPost|language=en-US|archive-date=13 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613152154/https://qjk.9bc.myftpupload.com/2020/01/21/k-r-meera-writers-dont-have-the-option-of-being-apolitical/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Meera has described her work as engaging with her political environment, stating, "Every writer is a political writer. It is very difficult for any writer to shut down from what is happening in and around society. And as a writer, we reflect on what's happening in society through our writing. Writing's a mixture of conscious and unconscious creative thinking— intuition and craft—it feels very unnatural to analyse it in any other kind of systematic way.”<ref name=":2" />

== Awards and honours ==
* 2004: [[Malayalam Literary Awards#Lalithambika Antharjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award|Lalithambika Sahitya Award]]{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* 2004: Gita Hiranyan Endowment Award by [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] - ''Ormayude Njarampu''{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* 2009: [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story]] - ''Ave Maria''<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-08-01|title=Death Becomes Her: Malayalam writer KR Meera on plotting the history of Indian women through Hangwoman|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/death-becomes-her-malayalam-writer-kr-meera-on-plotting-the-history-of-indian-women-through-hangwoman/|access-date=2020-07-23|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>
* 2013: [[Odakkuzhal Award]] - ''[[Aarachaar]]''<ref>[http://www.dcbooks.com/odakuzhal-award-to-k-r-meeeras-aarachar.html "കെ ആര്‍ മീരയുടെ ആരാച്ചാറിന് ഓടക്കുഴല്‍ പുരസ്‌കാരം"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114234501/http://www.dcbooks.com/odakuzhal-award-to-k-r-meeeras-aarachar.html |date=2014-01-14 }}. DC books. 12 January 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.</ref>
* [[2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards|2013]]: [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel]] - ''Aarachaar''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/pdf/Akademi%20Award%20-%202013_final.pdf |title=2013-ലെ കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി അവാര്‍ഡുകള്‍ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു |publisher=[[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] |date=December 2014 |access-date=28 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613132951/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/pdf/Akademi%20Award%20-%202013_final.pdf |archive-date=13 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*2014: [[Vayalar Award]] - ''Aarachaar''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/k-r-meera-gets-vayalar-award-114101100489_1.html|title=K R Meera gets Vayalar award|date=11 October 2014|work=[[Business Standard]]|access-date=11 October 2014}}</ref>
* 2015: [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Malayalam|Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award]] - ''Aarachaar''<ref>[http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/just-in/kr-meera-aarachaar-kendra-sahitya-akademi-award-malayalam.html "KR Meera wins Kendra Sahitya Akademi award"]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. ''[[Malayala Manorama]]''. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.</ref>
* 2016: Shortlisted for the [[DSC Prize for South Asian Literature]] - ''Hangwoman'' (Translated by J. Devika)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dscprize.com/global/updates/dsc-prize-2016-announces-a-shortlist-of-6-novels.html |title=DSC Prize 2016 Finalists |work=[[DSC Prize for South Asian Literature|DSC Prize]] |date=26 November 2015 |access-date=28 November 2015 |archive-date=30 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130044936/http://dscprize.com/global/updates/dsc-prize-2016-announces-a-shortlist-of-6-novels.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 2018: [[Muttathu Varkey Award]] - ''Aarachaar''{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

== Bibliography ==

===Novels===

* ''Nethronmeelanam'' (The Unseeing Idol of Light)
* ''Meerasadhu'' (''The Poison of Love'')
* Yudasinte Suvishesham [The Gospel of Yudas]
* Malakayude Marukukal
* Karineela
* ''Aa Maratheyum Marannu Marannu Njan'' (''And Slowly Forgetting that Tree'')
* ''[[Aarachaar]]'' (2012) (''Hangwoman: Everyone Loves a Good Hanging'')
* ''Sooryane Aninja Oru Sthree'' (Jezebel)
*''Ghathakan'' (''The Assassin'')
* Khabar (Qabar)
* [[Kalachi (novel)|Kalachi]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=KALACHI |url=https://dcbookstore.com/books/kalachi |website=dcbookstore.com/}}</ref>

===Collections of short stories===
* ''Sarpayajnam'' G(2001)
* ''Ormayude Njarambu'' (2002) (''The Vein of Memory'')
* ''Moha Manja'' (2004) (''Yellow is the Colour of Longing'')
* ''Ave Maria''
* ''K. R. Meerayude Kathakal''
* ''Guillotine''
* ''Meerayude Novellakal'' (2014)
* ''Penpanjatandram''[2016]
* ''Bhagavante Maranam''[2017]

=== Memoirs ===

* Mazhayil Parakkunna Pakshikal
* Ente Jeevitattile Chilar
* Kadhayezhuth

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=12752 "Yellow is the Colour of Longing"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212231154/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=12752 |date=12 February 2015 }}. (''The Daily Star'')
* {{Cite web | title=Welcome to sasthamcotta.com..!! Database of Sasthamcotta {{!}} The complete tourist destination in Kollam District..!! | url=http://www.sasthamcotta.com/K%20R%20Meera.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906183453/http://www.sasthamcotta.com/K%20R%20Meera.html | archive-date=2010-09-06 | access-date=2025-07-04}}
* {{Cite web | title=Women's Writing | url=http://www.womenswriting.com/WomensWriting/AuthorProfileDetail.asp?AuthorID=127 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030003342/http://www.womenswriting.com/WomensWriting/AuthorProfileDetail.asp?AuthorID=127 | access-date=2025-07-04 | archive-date=2007-10-30}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Malayalam}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{Vayalar Awards}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meera, K. R.}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Indian women short story writers]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language novelists]]
[[Category:Malayalam short story writers]]
[[Category:People from Kollam district]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Indian women columnists]]
[[Category:Indian columnists]]
[[Category:Indian women journalists]]
[[Category:Journalists from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Women writers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian newspaper journalists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Kerala]]
[[Category:Malayalam screenwriters]]
[[Category:Indian women screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women novelists]]

K. R. Meera - Revision history

Mohammad.Fahim at 04:37, 29 April 2026