Narayan, the author of Kocharethi in Malayalam, has died at the age of 82

on Aug 17, 2022

Kochi: Novelist Narayan, a pioneer of Malayalam subaltern writing, died here on Tuesday. He was 82. Narayan died in a private hospital while being treated for Covid.

Narayan, who was born in Kadayathur in Kerala's Idukki district in 1940, is widely regarded as the state's first tribal novelist. He is from the Malayarayar tribe.

In 1998, he won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for his debut novel "Kocharethi," which explored the life, history, and plight of the Malayarayar tribe.

The novel is set in the early twentieth century in the Western Ghats.

Catherine Thankamma's English translation of the novel, titled "Kocharethi: The Araya Woman," was published by Oxford University Press in 2011. That year, it won the Economist-Crossword Book Award for Indian language translation.

The work has also been translated into a number of other Indian languages as well as French.

"Ooraalikudi," "Chengarum Kuttalum," "Vannala," "Ee Vazhiyil Aalereyilla," "Aaranu Tholkkunnavar" (novels), "Nissahayante Nilavili," and "Pelamarutha" are among Narayan's other works (short stories).

He worked for the Postal Service and retired as a postmaster in 1995.

Narayan has also been honoured with the Thoppil Ravi Foundation Award, the Abu Dhabi Shakthi Award, and the Swami Ananda Theertha Award.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition Leader V D Satheesan, among others, expressed their condolences.

"His writings on tribal communities' living conditions were a reflection of their life experiences," Vijayan said.

Through his novel 'Kocharethi,' Narayan was able to present the life experiences of the Malayarayar community to society, according to Satheesan.

"Despite the fact that 'Kocharethi' was Narayan's first novel, he received numerous awards for it. That novel has been translated into several languages and is taught in many universities. His death is a tragic loss to Malayalam literature "According to Satheesan.