Who Is Sivasankari? Tamil Writer To Receive The Prestigious Saraswati Samman Award

Tamil writer Sivasankari, whose memoir "Surya Vamsam" was published in 2019, will receive the Saraswati Samman award in 2022. The KK Birla Foundation made this announcement on Wednesday. The Saraswati Samman award is the highest recognition in Indian literature and comes along with a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh, a plaque, and a citation. The Saraswati Samman is one of the three literary awards established by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991.

The KK Birla Foundation stated that the memoir "Surya Vamsam," which means daughter of the sun, is the most unique among all of Sivasankar’s works. It accounts for the journey of a celebratory writer and excellently establishes an emotional bond with the readers.

Who Is Sivasankari?

Sivasankari’s literary career spans over five decades, during which she has authored 36 novels, 48 novellas, 150 short stories, 15 travelogues, seven collections of essays, and three biographies, including one about former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Sivasankari’s four-volume book, "Knit India Through Literature," is regarded as one of her greatest contributions to Indian literature. She completed the book in 2009. The books feature interviews with 18 stalwart writers in Indian languages. The creative works of these writers were also published along with her travelogue to various regions.

Sivasankar’s works have been translated into many Indian languages and foreign languages, including English, Japanese, and Ukrainian. Eight of her novels have been made into films by proficient directors. Her novel "Kutti," which is about girl child labour, was made into a television series directed by Janaki Viswanathan. It won national as well as state awards for the Best Mega Serial.

Sivasankari was invited to the international writer's programme and the international visitor's programme by the US’s Lowa University in 1986. She is among the four writers whose work has been recorded in their own voices for the archives of the US Library Council to mark its bicentennial celebration.

The author’s unique characteristics have been to create awareness of social issues. Sivasankari was born in 1941 in Chennai and was the youngest of four siblings. She is a university rank holder with a degree in zoology. She is also a former exponent of Bharatanatyam and a trained South Indian classical singer.

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