UpdateBot at 01:41, 2 December 2021

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Karoor Neelakanta Pillai
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| pseudonym = Karoor
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1898|02|22}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1975|09|30|1898|02|22|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| occupation = Writer
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| genre = [[Short story]], [[Novel]]
| subject = Social
| movement =
| spouse =
| awards = 1969 [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story]]
| website =
}}

'''Karoor Neelakanta Pillai''' (Malayalam: കാരൂർ നീലകണ്ഠപ്പിള്ള) (22 February 1898 – 30 September 1975) was an Indian writer of [[Malayalam literature]] and one of the founders of [[Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society]] (Writers' Co-operative Society). Some of his works such as ''Poovan Pazham'' and ''Marappavakal'' are counted by many among the best short stories in [[Malayalam literature|Malayalam]]. He was a recipient of the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story]] in 1969, which he received for his short story, ''Mothiram''.

== Life and career ==
Karoor Neelakanta Pillai was born on 22 February 22, 1898, in [[Ettumanoor]], in [[Kottayam district]] of the south Indian state of [[Kerala]] to Kunhiliyamma and Neelakanta Pillai.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/Profiles/Karoor/Html/Karoorgraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-01-26 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref>{{Refn|group=note|Karoor was the family name of his mother, obtained through [[matrilineal succession]]}} His formal education lasted only up to 7th standard though he was known to have been good at studies. He began his career as a school teacher at a local school in [[Kadappoor]] but quit his job when he got a government job as a teacher at the local school in [[Pothanikkad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nairs.in/bio_n.htm |title= Karoor Neelakanta Pillai|publisher=Nairs.com |access-date=2009-06-20}}</ref> While on job at various places such as Ettumanoor, Vemballi and [[Kanakkari]], he pursued his studies and passed 9th standard in 1913 as well as the teachers' training examinations.<ref name="Veethi profile">{{Cite web |url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/karoor_neelakanda_pillai-profile-2238-25.htm |title=Veethi profile |date=2019-01-26 |website=Veethi |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref>

Pillai became associated with the ''Adhyapaka Maha Sabha'' (teachers' union) in 1920 and two years later, he was elected as its secretary.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /> He was involved in the teachers' meeting that discussed strike and though the matter was voted out by the meeting, the government dismissed all teachers who participated in the meeting; Pillai also lost his job. He worked as an assistant to a local [[ayurvedic]] physician at Ettumanoor till he was reinstated in his job by the government, with a posting at Namakkuzhi school. After holding the post for a while, he took long leave from job and became the secretary of Kottayam Co-operative Union. Moving to the village of [[Panmana]], he started trading in coir products and it was in 1930, he married Gomathy Amma. When the coir industry went through a lean period during the [[World War II]], he quit trading and returned to teaching, this time at the local school in [[Thazhava]] village.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" />

It was during this time, Pillai, along with [[M. P. Paul]], worked towards forming a co-operative for writers and in 1945, with a capital of {{INR}} 120,<ref name="SPCS - About Us">{{Cite web |url=http://www.spcsindia.com/aboutus.php |title=SPCS - About Us |date=2019-01-26 |website=www.spcsindia.com |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref> they registered the ''[[Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society|Sahithya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangham]]'' (SPCS - Writers' Cooperative Society) with Paul and Pillai as the president<ref name="Remembering a visionary - Times of India">{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Remembering-a-visionary/articleshow/14856306.cms |title=Remembering a visionary - Times of India |date=July 13, 2012 |website=The Times of India |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref> and the secretary of the society, respectively.<ref name="JStor profile">{{Cite journal |title=JStor profile |journal = Journal of South Asian Literature|volume = 15|issue = 1|date=2019-01-26 |jstor = 40872325}}</ref> He held the position of the secretary for two decades and when he relinquished the position in 1965, the society had already made a mark in the publishing sector, with the integration of National Book Stall in 1949.<ref name="Sahitya Pravarthaka Cooperative Society">{{Cite book |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198606536.001.0001/acref-9780198606536-e-4270 |title=Sahitya Pravarthaka Cooperative Society |date=2010-01-01 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780198606536.001.0001 |access-date=2019-01-26|isbn=9780198606536 |editor1-last=Suarez |editor1-first=Michael F |editor2-first=H. R |editor2-last=Woudhuysen }}</ref>

He died in September 30th,1975, at the age of 77.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" />

== Major works ==
Pillai, [[Vaikom Muhammad Basheer]] and [[Uroob]] are considered to be the preeminent storytellers in [[Malayalam literature]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Michigan State University, Asian Studies Center |title=Journal of South Asian literature |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7jIzAAAAIAAJ&q=Karur+Neelakanta+Pillai|year=1980}}</ref><ref name="Datta1988">{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1609|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|pages=1609–}}</ref> His short stories often portray the plight of the middle class in a simple and straightforward manner.<ref>{{cite book |title=Indian literature |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WZZjAAAAMAAJ&q=Karur+Neelakanta+Pillai|year=1993|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] }}</ref> Many of his stories were translated into other Indian languages and English. The short story ''Anakkaran'' (The Mahout) was translated into English by Santa Ramesvara Rao.<ref name="Karoor Neelakanda Pillai on Good Reads">{{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527412.Karoor_Neelakanda_Pillai |title=Karoor Neelakanda Pillai on Good Reads |date=2019-01-26 |website=www.goodreads.com |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/southasia/guides/malayalam.html|title=A Bibliography of Malayalam literature in English translation|publisher=[[University of Washington Libraries]]|access-date=2009-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303223648/http://lib.washington.edu/subject/southasia/guides/malayalam.html|archive-date=3 March 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> He wrote many stories for children and his story ''Anchu Kadalasu'' was later adapted for a film of the same name.<ref name="Karoorinte Balakathakal on Good Reads">{{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800774-karoorinte-balakathakal |title=Karoorinte Balakathakal on Good Reads |date=2019-01-26 |website=www.goodreads.com |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref> He received the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story]] in 1960 for his short story, ''Mothiram''.<ref name="Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Stories.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story |date=2019-01-26 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref>

=== Short stories ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* ''Karoor Kathakal Sampoornam'' (complete works)<ref name="Karoor Kathakal Sampoornam">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21775404-karoor-kathakal-sampoornam |title=Karoor Kathakal Sampoornam |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=National Book Stall |page=1558}}</ref>
* ''Marappavakal'' (The Wooden Dolls)
* ''Pathu Kadhakal'' (Ten Stories)
* ''Thiranjedutha Kadhakal'' (Selected Stories)
* ''Rahasyam'' (The Secret)
* ''Ambalapparambil'' (In the Temple Courtyard)
* ''Poovanpazham''
* ''Orupidimannu'' (A fist full of earth)
* ''Meenkari'' (The Fisherwoman)<ref name="Meenkari">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800787-meenkari |title=Meenkari |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=National Book Stall |page=72}}</ref>
* ''Smarakom''
* ''Thoopukaran'' (The sweeper)
* ''Kochanujathi'' (The little sister)
* ''Astrologer''
* ''Gruhanayika (Lady of the house)
* ''Pothichoru'' (rice covered with leaf)
{{div col end}}

* Melvilasam
* Iruttil
* Kadhayalla
* Thaekkupaat
* Karayikunna Chiri
* Pishachinte kuppayam
* Kadhaakautukam
* Motiram
* Ee Sahaayathil Charadund
* Keezhadangal

=== Novels ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* ''Gauri''
* ''Hari''<ref name="Hari">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/25966421-hari |title=Hari |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=Poorna Publications |isbn=978-8130001531}}</ref>
* ''Panjiyum Thuniyum''<ref name="Panjiyum Thuniyum">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800392 |title=Panjiyum Thuniyum |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=Poorna Publications |year=1972 |isbn=9788130006680}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

=== Plays ===
* ''Appoopan'' (Grandfather)

=== Children's literature ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* ''Karoorinte Balakathakal''<ref name="Karoorinte Balakathakal">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800774-karoorinte-balakathakal |title=Karoorinte Balakathakal |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=National Book Stall}}</ref>
* ''Anchu Kadalasu'' (5 papers )
* ''Enne Rajavakkanam'' (Make Me the King)<ref name="Enne Rajavakkanam">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800769-enne-rajavakkanam |title=Enne Rajavakkanam |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=National Book Stall}}</ref>
* ''Aanakaran'' (The Mahout)<ref name="Aanakkaran">{{Cite book |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800779-aanakkaran |title=Aanakkaran |last=Karur Neelakanta Pillai |publisher=National Book Stall}}</ref>
* ''Azhakanum Poovaliyum''
* ''Olayum Narayavum'' (The Leaf and the Stylus)
* ''Bhruthyan'' (The Servant)
* ''Manmayil''
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527412.Karoor_Neelakanda_Pillai |title=Karoor Neelakanda Pillai |date=2019-01-26 |website=www.goodreads.com |access-date=2019-01-26}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/21800774-karoorinte-balakathakal |title=Karoorinte Balakathakal |date=2019-01-26 |website=www.goodreads.com |access-date=2019-01-26}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Karoor Neelakanta}}
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Kottayam]]
[[Category:Malayalam short story writers]]
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Indian male short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Malayalam novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]

Karoor Neelakanta Pillai - Revision history

UpdateBot at 01:41, 2 December 2021