Maythil Radhakrishnan
Encyclopedia
Maythil Radhakrishnan, popularly known as Maythil (Malayalam മേതില് രാധകൃഷ്ണന്), born in Alathur in Palakkad
district of Kerala
, is an all-rounder in Malayalam literature, being quite at home with poetry
, fiction
as well as non-fiction
.
from Kerala University
in 1968. For the next eight years, he did research in insect ethology
, while working as a freelance journalist. From 1976 to 1984 he worked in Kuwait for a Norwegian shipping firm as EDP
Coordinator. For the next three years, he ran his own Computer Aided Design and Drafting Center in Coimbatore
, Tamil Nadu
. Since 1987, except for a four year stint as Editor, Youth Express of The New Indian Express
(then The Indian Express
) group, at Trivandrum and Chennai
, Maythil has spent his time mostly in writing; on occasions working as a freelance journalist, quizmaster
and a web developer
. He writes popular columns in The Sunday Express (Zebra Crossing, now available online as a social network created by the author himself) and in Madhyamam Weekly ( Moonnu Vara a.k.a Three Stripes). Presently he lives in Bangalore
. He is married and has one daughter and one son.
. Four novels and many stories and poems later, his is still a fresh voice. His oeuvre reflects the whole gamut of unrelated experience—from computers to insects—that he had acquired. Essence of his writing is summed up by Professor K Satchidanandan
in the following words:
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
district of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, is an all-rounder in Malayalam literature, being quite at home with poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
as well as non-fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
.
Brief Biography
Maythil did his graduation in EconomicsEconomics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from Kerala University
Kerala University
The University of Kerala, formerly the University of Travancore, is an affiliating university located in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. It was established in 1937, long before the birth of the state of Kerala in India...
in 1968. For the next eight years, he did research in insect ethology
Ethology
Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology....
, while working as a freelance journalist. From 1976 to 1984 he worked in Kuwait for a Norwegian shipping firm as EDP
EDP
EDP may refer to:*Edinburgh Park railway station, station code*Eastern Daily Press, a UK regional newspaper*Electronic data processing, the use of automated methods to process commercial data...
Coordinator. For the next three years, he ran his own Computer Aided Design and Drafting Center in Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. Since 1987, except for a four year stint as Editor, Youth Express of The New Indian Express
The New Indian Express
The New Indian Express is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published by the Express Publications. It was founded in 1932 as the Indian Express, under the ownership of Chennai-based P. Varadarajulu Naidu. In 1991, following the death of the then owner Ramnath Goenka, the Goenka...
(then The Indian Express
The Indian Express
The Indian Express is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. It is published in Mumbai by Indian Express Group. After Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split in 1999 among his family members into two with the southern editions taking the name The New Indian Express, while the old...
) group, at Trivandrum and Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Maythil has spent his time mostly in writing; on occasions working as a freelance journalist, quizmaster
Quizmaster
Quizmaster can refer to:*Australian game shows:**Quizmaster - a 2002 game show produced by the Seven Network**Temptation Quizmaster - the 2006 series on Nine Network's Temptation...
and a web developer
Web developer
A web developer is a software developer or software engineer who specializes in, or is specifically engaged in, the development of World Wide Web applications, or distributed network applications that are run over HTTP from a web server to a web browser....
. He writes popular columns in The Sunday Express (Zebra Crossing, now available online as a social network created by the author himself) and in Madhyamam Weekly ( Moonnu Vara a.k.a Three Stripes). Presently he lives in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. He is married and has one daughter and one son.
Writing
Maythil's first novel, Sooryavamsam, published in 1970, announced the arrival of a major talent in Malayalam literatureMalayalam literature
The term Malayalam literature refers to Literature written in Malayalam language. Malayalam is the language spoken by around 35 million people, mainly the inhabitants of the state of Kerala and the union territory of Lakshadweep Islands in India. Malayalam is a Dravidian language and thus has close...
. Four novels and many stories and poems later, his is still a fresh voice. His oeuvre reflects the whole gamut of unrelated experience—from computers to insects—that he had acquired. Essence of his writing is summed up by Professor K Satchidanandan
Satchidanandan
K. Satchidanandan is a major Indian poet and critic, writing in Malayalam, and English. Satchidanandan has established himself as an academician, editor, translator and playwright...
in the following words:
There are very few in Indian fiction who can compare with this author in artistic innovation, intellectual subtlety and original perception of things and of life. The three novellas here represent all that is newest in Indian fiction.