->GreenC bot at 16:35, 16 April 2021

2021-04-16T16:35:06Z

New page

{{short description|Indian writer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}

{{Infobox person
| name = M. P. Narayana Pillai
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1939|11|22}}
| birth_place = [[Ernakulam]], [[Kerala]], India {{flagicon|India}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1998|5|19|1939|11|22}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername =
| occupation = [[Novelist]], [[Short story writer]]
| yearsactive =
| spouse = Prabha
| domesticpartner =
| children = Balakrishna Pillai<br>Madhavankutty Pillai
| parents = Thazhathu Parameshwaran Nair<br>Ammukutty Amma
| influences =
| influenced =
| website =
| awards = 1991 [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
}}
'''Malikathazhathu Pulluvazhy Narayana Pillai''' ({{lang-ml|എം.പി. നാരായണപിള്ള}}) (22 November 1939 – 19 May 1998), affectionately known as '''Nanappan''' among his friends, was a journalist and writer of Malayalam literature. Known for his novel, ''Parinamam'' (The Evolution), and a number of short stories including ''Murugan Enna Pambatty'' (Murugan, the Snake Charmer) and ''George Aaramante Kodathi'' (The Court of George VI), Pillai was associated with [[Far Eastern Economic Review]] and McGraw-Hill World News. He was awarded the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel]] in 1991, but he declined the award.

== Biography ==
M. P. Narayana Pillai was born on 22 November 1939 to Thazhathu Parameshwaran Nair and Malikathazhathu Ammukutty Amma in [[Pulluvazhy]], a village near [[Perumbavoor]] in [[Ernakulam district]] of the south Indian state of [[Kerala]].<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/MPNarayanaPillai/Html/MPNgraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-01-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> After early schooling at the local school in Pulluvazhy, he completed his Pre-University course at [[Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha|Nirmala College]], [[Muvattupuzha]] and moved to [[Banaras Hindu University]] from where he obtained his BSc degree in [[agricultural science]]. Subsequently, he started his career as a telephone operator at the consulate of East Germany in [[Delhi]]. Later, he joined [[Planning Commission (India)|Central Planning Commission]], Delhi as an economic investigator and worked there for five years.<ref name="Remembering Malayalam Columnist and Short Story Writer MP Narayana Pillai">{{Cite web |url=http://dnasyndication.com/dna/dna_english_news_and_features/Remembering-Malayalam-columnist-and-short-story-writer-MP-Narayana-Pillai/DNMUM306048 |title=Remembering Malayalam Columnist and Short Story Writer MP Narayana Pillai |date=17 May 2014 |website=dnasyndication.com |access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> In 1967, he moved to [[Hong Kong]] to join the [[Far Eastern Economic Review]] as the assistant editor but stayed there only for 3 years and returned to India to take up the position of the chief of publications with [[Mumbai]]-based Commerce Group in 1970. He was also associated with McGraw-Hill World News as their Indian correspondent, with periodicals such as ''Minerals and Metals Review'' and ''Trial'', a Malayalam weekly of [[Kalakaumudi]] and served as he chief executive officer of Asian Industries Information Center. Another of his journalistic attempts was the funding of ''Gulf Malayalee'', a periodical for the [[Malayali]] expatriates residing in the [[Gulf region]].<ref name="Remembering Malayalam Columnist and Short Story Writer MP Narayana Pillai" />

Pillai was married to Prabha Pillai, an editor of the [[Economic and Political Weekly]]<ref name="The Charmer">{{Cite web |url=http://rahapen.org/RAHA_Professinal_literature_mpnarayananp.htm |title=The Charmer |date=17 June 2004 |publisher=RAHA Professional Literature |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818073521/http://rahapen.org/RAHA_Professinal_literature_mpnarayananp.htm |access-date=2019-01-30|archive-date=18 August 2009 }}</ref> who would later publish two books named as ''Verpadinte Vedanakal'' and ''Ormakalude Mahanagarathil'', based on her memories of Narayan Pillai. The couple had two sons, Balakrishna Pillai and Madhavankutty Pillai, and the family lived [[Borivli]], in [[Mumbai]]. It was here Pillai died on 19 May 1998,at the age of 58.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" />

== Writing career ==
Narayana Pillai is considered by many as one of the finest writers of Malayalam fiction.<ref name="The Charmer" /> It was reported that he started writing during his stay in Delhi where he met [[Kakkanadan]] and was influenced by the writer; the first story was ''Kallan'' (The Thief).<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /> ''Murugan Enna Pambatti'', ''George Aramante Kodathi'', ''Yathrakkidayil'' and ''Njangal Asuranmar'' are some of his most notable short stories.<ref name="Universal world of myths and legends">{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/universal-world-of-myths-and-legends/article5928172.ece |title=Universal world of myths and legends |last=Anandan |first=S. |date=2014-04-19 |newspaper=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref><ref name="Nine classic stories of Malayalam on DD">{{Cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-14/thiruvananthapuram/27171863_1_telecast-dd-telefilms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024074825/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-14/thiruvananthapuram/27171863_1_telecast-dd-telefilms |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2012 |title=Nine classic stories of Malayalam on DD |date=14 July 2004 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=17 July 2009 }}</ref> Most of his short stories have been compiled in 5 anthologies viz. ''Murugan Enna Pambatti'', ''56 Sathragali'', ''Anthikoottu'', ''Njangal Asuranmar'' and ''M. P. Narayana Pilayude Kathakal''. He wrote only one novel, ''Parinamam'', which was selected for the [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel]] in 1991.<ref name="Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/novel.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel |date=2019-01-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109145935/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/novel.htm |archive-date=9 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, he declined the award, requesting the government to deposit the prize money in the state treasury.<ref name="Remembering Malayalam Columnist and Short Story Writer MP Narayana Pillai" /> He could not complete his second novel, ''Hanuman Seva'', which was later completed by [[Punathil Kunjabdulla]].<ref name="List of works">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/MPNarayanaPillai/Html/MPNPillaiPage.htm |title=List of works |date=2019-01-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref> His memoirs is titled, ''Avasanathe Pathuroopanottu''.<ref name="Narayanapillai2014">{{cite book|author=M. P. Narayanapillai|title=Avasanathe Pathuroopanottu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u1VCMQAACAAJ|year=2014|publisher=Green Books Publisher|isbn=978-81-8423-291-2}}</ref> ''Samakalika Malayalam Varika'', a sister publication of [[The New Indian Express]], have instituted an annual award, ''M. P. Narayana Pillai Memorial Short Story Award'', in his honour, which carries a prize money of {{INR}} 50,000 and a citation.<ref name="Short Story Award Distribution">{{Cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2014/jan/18/Short-Story-Award-Distribution-565372.html |title=Short Story Award Distribution |date=18 January 2014 |website=The New Indian Express |access-date=2019-01-30}}</ref>

==Selected works==
=== Novels ===
* {{cite book|author=M.P Narayanapillai|title=Parinamam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CMqrAAAACAAJ|date=1 January 2007|publisher=DC Books|isbn=978-81-7130-322-9}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://www.indulekha.com/hanumanseva-novel-m-p-narayana-pillai-punathil-kunjabdulla?author_id= |title=Hanumanseva |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai , Punathil Kunjabdulla |publisher=Green Books}}

=== Short stories ===
* {{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.in/56-Sathragali-M-P-Narayana-Pillai/dp/B007E4W2AQ |title=56 Sathragali |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai |publisher=DC Books |year=1998 |asin=B007E4W2AQ}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.in/Narayana-Pillayude-Kathakal-Malayalam-ebook/dp/B06XK7C84P/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548850683&sr=1-1 |title=M. P. Narayana Pillayude Kathakal |last=Pillai |first=M. P. Narayana |date=2017-01-01 |publisher=DC Books |language=Malayalam |asin=B06XK7C84P}}
*{{cite book|author=M. P. Narayanapillai|title=Malayalathinte Suvarnakathakal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jnP1nQEACAAJ|date=1 May 2013|publisher=Repro Knowledgcast Limited|isbn=978-81-8423-237-0}}
* {{cite book|author=M. P. Narayanapillai|title=Anthikoottu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QHkRAQAAIAAJ|year=1969|publisher=Current Books}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.in/Priyapetta-Kathakal-Malayalam-Narayana-Pillai-ebook/dp/B06XKH3PTP/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548850683&sr=1-3 |title=Ente Priyapetta Kathakal |last=Pillai |first=M. P. Narayana |date=2017-01-01 |publisher=DC Books |language=Malayalam |asin=B06XKH3PTP}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.in/Vivadam-Prathikadhakal-M-P-Narayana-Pillai/dp/B007E4WMUQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548850683&sr=1-5 |title=Vivadam |last=Pillai |first=M. P. Narayana |date=2003-09-03 |publisher=DC Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://keralabookstore.com/book/george-aaramante-kotathi/8027/ |title=George Aaramante Kodathi |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai |publisher=Haritham Books |isbn=9788192826257 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://keralabookstore.com/book/murukan-enna-pambatti/8028/ |title=Murukan Enna Pambatti |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai |first=Haritham Books |isbn=9788192826202 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/217203 |title=Jnangal Asuranmar |last=M. P. |first=Narayana Pillai |date=1977 |publisher=National Book Stall |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/215908 |title=Urulaykku Upperi |last=M.P |first=Narayana Pillai |date=1998 |publisher=Monsoon Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/207523 |title=Innale Kakka Vanno? Pindam Kothiyo |last=M.P |first=Narayana Pillai |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/207524 |title=Aram Kannu |last=M.P |first=Narayana Pillai |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/84277 |title=Madya puraanam / |last=Narayana Pillai |first=M. P. |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/84310 |title=Pidakkozhi koovaan thudangiyal / |last=Narayana Pillai |first=M. P. |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/84285 |title=Velipaadukal / |last=Narayana Pillai |first=M. P. |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/207522 |title=Venkayayugam |last=M.P |first=Narayana Pillai |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}

=== Essays and memoirs ===
* {{Cite book |title=Marunottam : Thiranjedutha Lekhanangal |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai |date=2011 |publisher=DC Books |isbn=9788126431250 |location=Kottayam |oclc=762380254}}
*{{cite book|author=M. P. Narayanapillai|title=Avasanathe Pathuroopanottu (Memoirs) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u1VCMQAACAAJ|date=1 January 2014|publisher=Repro Knowledgcast Limited|isbn=978-81-8423-291-2}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.in/Kentucky-Chicken-Kadakal-Thallipolikkanamo-Malayalam-ebook/dp/B06XKGZGR7/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548850683&sr=1-4 |title=Kentucky Chicken Kadakal Thallipolikkanamo? |last=Pillai |first=M. P. Narayana |date=2017-01-01 |publisher=DC Books |language=Malayalam |asin=B06XKGZGR7}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://www.indulekha.com/jathi-jhodikkuka-parayuka-essays-m-p-narayana%2520pillai?author_id=&page=2 |title=Jathi Chodikkuka Parayuka |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai |publisher=DC Books |year=2002}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://www.indulekha.com/%2520aarkkanu-bhranth-essays-m-p-narayana-pillai?author_id= |title=Aarkkanu Bhranth? |last=M. P. Narayana Pillai |publisher=Mathrubhumi Books}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/207521 |title=Munnam Kannu |last=M. P. |first=Narayana Pillai |date=1998 |isbn=81-7130-833-3 |language=Malayalam}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://opac.cusat.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=45726&query_desc=callnum%253A89M-4%2520NAR |title=Kazhchakal sabdhangal |last=Narayanapillai |first=M. P. |date=1998 |publisher=Current Books |location=Thrissur}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/207527 |title=Vayanakkare Poovittu Thozhanam |last=M.P |first=Narayana Pillai |date=2002 |publisher=D.C. Books |language=Malayalam}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |url=http://mpnarayanapillai.blogspot.com/ |title=Mrigathipathyam (English translation - full text) |last=M P Narayana Pillai |date=2011 |website=mpnarayanapillai.blogspot.com |access-date=2019-01-30}}

==External links==
* [https://www.facebook.com/mpnarayana.pillai#!/mpnarayana.pillai Facebook page created by his son]
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/MPNarayanaPillai/Html/MPNPillaiPage.htm |title=Portrait on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-01-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-30}}
* [http://find.uoc.ac.in/Author/Home?author=Narayana+Pillai%2CM+P University of Calicut library listings]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, M. P. Narayana}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Journalists from Kerala]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian short story writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Kochi]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian non-fiction writers]]

M. P. Narayana Pillai - Revision history

->GreenC bot at 16:35, 16 April 2021