Chandramathi facts for kids

Chandrika Balan (born January 17, 1954) is a talented Indian writer. She writes books in both English and Malayalam languages. Many people know her by her pen name, Chandramathi.

Chandrika Balan writes exciting stories, translates books, and also shares her thoughts as a literary critic. She has written many books. These include four books in English and 20 in Malayalam. Her Malayalam works include 12 collections of short stories. She has also written two memoirs and translated five books from English. A Malayalam movie, Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela, was even made based on one of her books!

About Chandrika Balan

Early Life and Education

Chandramathi was born in Thiruvananthapuram, a city in Kerala, India. She studied English Language and Literature at the University of Kerala. She graduated in 1976. Later, in 1988, she earned her PhD from the same university.

Teaching Career and Travels

She became a Professor of English literature. She taught at All Saints' College in Thiruvananthapuram. From 1993 to 1994, she worked as an Executive Editor for Medieval Indian Literature.

Chandrika Balan also received awards for her excellent teaching. In 1999, she got the Professor Sivaprasad Foundation Award. This was for being a Most Outstanding Teacher. In 2002, she received an award for Best College Teacher in Kerala. In 1998, she visited Sweden with a group of Indian writers. This trip gave her an idea for her short story called "Reindeer."

Awards and Recognition

Chandrika Balan has won many awards for her writing. These awards show how much her work is appreciated.

• Thoppil Ravi Foundation Award (1995)
• Katha National Award for fiction and translation (1997)
• The State Bank of Travancore Literary Award for Best Collection of fiction (1998)
• Odakkuzhal Award for the Best Work (1998)
• The Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Best Fiction (1999)
• The Muthukulam Parvathy Amma Award for the Best Woman Writer (2004)
• Kerala Sahitya Akademi C.B.Kumar Endowment Award for Best collection of Essays (2005)
• Padmarajan Puraskaram for the Best Short Fiction (2007)
• Kairali Award (New York) for the Best Writer in Malayalam (2007)
• O.V.Vijayan Puraskaram for the best short fiction (2016)
• The first Snehathalam Award for Excellence in Literary Works (2018)
• Pattom Ramachandran Nair Smaraka award for her overall contribution to Malayalam Literature (2022)

Chandrika Balan's Books

Chandrika Balan has written many books. They are in both English and Malayalam.

Books in English

• V. K. Krishna Menon. (Co-Author). Macmillan, 1990.
• Best-Loved Stories. (Co-Editor). Anu Chitra, 1991.
• The Private Garden : Family in Post-war British Drama. (Author). Academic Foundation, 1993.
• Critical Spectrum: Responses to Contemporary Literary Theories. (Editor). Papyrus, 1993.
• Arya and Other Stories. Orient Blackswan, 2014.
• Invisible Walls. Novel. Niyogi Books, 2018.

Books in Malayalam: Fiction

• Aryavarthanam. [Arya Repeated]. DC Books, 1995.
• Devigramam. [Village of the Goddess] DC Books, 1997.
• Reindeer. Mulberry, 1998.
• Swayam, Swantham. [Me, Mine]. Prabhath Books, 1999.
• Vethaalakathakal. [Tales From the Vetaal]. Current Books, 1999.
• Daivam Swargathil. [ God is in His Heaven]. DC Books, 2000.
• Thattarakkudiyile Vigrahangal. [The Idols of the Blacksmiths' Street]. Sankeertanam- Publishers, 2002.
• Annayude Athazhavirundu. [Anna's Banquet]. DC Books, 2006.
• Ente Priyappetta Kathakal. [ Stories Dear to Me]. DC Books.
• Chandramathiyude Kathakal. [Compilation all the stories]. DC Books, 2009.
• Ivide Oru Techie. [ A Techie Here ]. DC Books, 2010.
• Aparnayude Thadavarakal(Aswathiyudethum). [ The Prison houses of Aparna; Aswathy's Too. NOVEL]. DCBooks 2013.
• Ningal Nireekshanathilaanu" [ You are Under Surveillance]. DC Books, 2017.
• Wanderlust. DC Books, 2020.

Children's Literature

Chandrika Balan has also written books especially for young readers:

• Sherlock Holmes. Poorna Publications.
• Thankathilakkam. Mathrubhumi.
• Snehapoorvam Nikitha. DCBooks.
• Ishtakkuttiyum Ishtallakkuttiyum. H&C Books, 2023.

Books in Malayalam: Non-Fiction

• Madhyakaala Malayala Kavitha. [Medieval Malayalam Poetry] (Co-Editor). National Book Trust, 1998.
• Perilla Prasnangal. [ Problems without a Name]. Current Books, 2003.
• Njandukalude Naattil Oru Idavela. [ An Interval in the Land of the Crabs : Cancer memoirs]. DC Books, 2006. This book is a true story about her journey with cancer and how she overcame it.
• Sooryarajaavinte Pranayini. [The Lover of the Sun-God]. DC Books, 2007.
• Njan Oru Veedu. [I, A House]. (Childhood Memoirs). H&C, 2010. A revised edition was released in 2022.
• Oliverude Diarykkurippukal. [ Ruskin Bond's novel Mr. Oliver's Diary ]. DC Books, 2011.

Books in Malayalam: Translations

Chandrika Balan has also translated several books into Malayalam.

• Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. (Monograph by K. Ayyappa Paniker). DC Books, 1992.
• Janu. (Novel by Menon Marath). Kerala Sahitya Akademi, 2003.
• Vanchana. (Harold Pinter's play : The Betrayal). Chintha Publishers, 2008.
• Unmeshadinangal. ( Laurent Graff's novel Happy Days). DC Books, 2010.
• Kazhinja Kaalangal. (Harold Pinter's play Old Times) Chintha Publishers, 2010.

Movies Based on Her Works

Two movies have been inspired by Chandrika Balan's writings:

• The Malayalam movie Njandukalude Nattil Oru Idavela (An Interval in the Land of the Crabs) was based on her memoir of the same name.
• Lenin Rajendran's award-winning movie രാത്രിമഴ (Night Rain) was based on her short story "Website."

See also

In Spanish: Chandramathi para niños