T. D. Ramakrishnan

{{Infobox writer

| name = T. D. Ramakrishnan

| image = T. D. Ramakrishnan at Pedayangode 2018 (3).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Ramakrishnan at Pedayangode in 2018

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| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1961}}

| birth_place = Eyyal, Thrissur, Kerala, India

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| occupation = {{hlist|Writer|translator|Indian Railways Chief Controller (retired)}}

| language = Malayalam

| education =

| alma_mater = Union Christian College, Aluva

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| notableworks = Francis Itty Cora, Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki

| spouse = Anandavalli

| children = 2

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Thathamangalam Damodaran Ramakrishnan (born 1961) is an Indian novelist, translator, and retired Chief Controller in Southern Railway. He has authored two best-selling Malayalam novels: Francis Itty Cora and Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki. He is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Vayalar Award.

Early life

He was born at Eyyal village in Thrissur, India in 1961 to a Brahmin family as the son of Damodaran Elayathu and Sreedevi Antarjanam.V. Harigovindan (21 February 2016). [http://www.mathrubhumi.com/books/interview/interview-with-td-ramakrishnan-malayalam-news-1.879959 "ഇനി എഴുത്തിനായി മാത്രം"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222185710/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/books/interview/interview-with-td-ramakrishnan-malayalam-news-1.879959 |date=22 February 2016 }}. Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 20 April 2018. He completed his schooling from Kunnamkulam Boys High School and Erumappetty Government High School, and his pre-degree and degree from UC College, Aluva.[http://uccollege.edu.in/news/founders-day-and-alumni-meet-2017/ "Founders Day and Alumni Meet 2017"]. UC College, Aluva. Retrieved 20 April 2018. In 1981, he joined Indian Railways as a ticket collector in Salem.{{cite AV media | date=31 January 2016 | title=Writer T D Ramakrishnan retires from railway | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJfB9sRF9AA | medium=News |work=MediaOne TV | publisher=YouTube}} He worked in Kozhikode for one and a half years from 1982. In 1983, he worked as a ticket examiner in Madras and Salem. He moved to Palghat in 1985. From 1995 onwards, he became a controller in the Palghat Railway Divisional Office. He served as Southern Railway Chief Controller from January 2006 to 31 January 2016. On 31 January 2016, he retired from service in order to be active in literature.

Literary career

His first novel Alpha is set in an imaginative island called Alpha which is located somewhere near Sri Lanka and narrates the story of an experiment on human brain undertaken by an anthropologist.[https://www.manoramaonline.com/literature/bookreview/alpha-novel-by-td-ramakrishnan.html "മനുഷ്യത്വത്തെ പുനർനിർവ്വചിക്കുന്ന ആൽഫ"]. Malayala Manorama. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2018. His second novel, Francis Itty Cora, received considerable acclaims from critics for its unprecedented incorporation of many global historical characters and knowledge available to the present Malayalam readers for weaving the story line. The novel deals with the exploration of a merchant named Francis Itty Cora, hailing from the Kerala of 15th century. His third novel, Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki, is based on the death of Tamil human rights activist Rajini Thiranagama who was allegedly shot dead by Tamil Tigers cadres after she criticised them for their atrocities.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/mixing-myth-and-memory/article7398890.ece |title=Mixing myth and memory |author=Meena T. Pillai |location=Trivandrum |newspaper=The Hindu |date=9 July 2015 |accessdate=18 April 2018}}

Ramakrishnan, who had lived in Tamil Nadu for the most part of his career, is also deeply associated with Tamil literature. He introduced several Tamil literary works to Keralites and has won the E. K. Divakaran Potti Award for Best Translator in 2007.

Personal life

He is married to Anandavalli and has two children: Vishnu and Surya .

List of works

Alpha (Novel)
Francis Itty Cora (Novel)
Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki (Novel)
Hmm (Translation of the Tamil novel Hmm by Shobasakthi)
Thappu Thalangal (Translation of the Tamil book Thappu Thalangal by Charu Nivedita
Mama Africa (Novel)
Andhar Badirar Mookar (Novel)
Pacha Manja Chuvappu (Novel)

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Director	class="sortable" \| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
2018	Oolu	Screenwriter	Shaji N. Karun	Debut film {{cite news \|title = ഉള്ളിൽ തൊടുന്ന ഓള്; റിവ്യൂ \|url = https://archives.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/review/olu-malayalam-movie-review-shaji-n-karun-ester-anil-shane-nigam-mj-radhakrishnan-td-ramakrishnan-1.4141163 \|publisher = mathrubhumi \|date = 22 September 2019 \|accessdate = 1 October 2024 \|language = Malayalam }}
2024	Bramayugam	Co-written with Rahul Sadasivan	Rahul Sadasivan	Dialogues only {{cite news \|title = ഇട്ടിക്കോരയല്ല, ഭ്രമയുഗത്തിലെ കൊടുമൺ പോറ്റി, കഥ പഴയതുമല്ല: ടി.ഡി.രാമകൃഷ്ണൻ \|url = https://www.mathrubhumi.com/literature/interviews/td-ramakrishnan-interview-bramayugam-movie-mammootty-1.9329653 \|publisher = mathrubhumi \|date = 16 February 2024 \|accessdate = 1 October 2024 \|language = Malayalam }}

Awards

2016: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel – Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki{{cite press release |title=2016 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/pdf/07-01-2018/Award_2016_new.pdf |location=Trichur |publisher=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |date=21 February 2018 |access-date=18 April 2018}}
2016: Malayattoor Award – Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Malayatoor-award-for-T.D.-Ramakrishnan/article14499900.ece |title=Malayatoor award for T.D. Ramakrishnan |location=Trivandrum |newspaper=The Hindu |date=21 July 2016 |accessdate=18 April 2018}}
2016: Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award for Novel – Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki{{Cite web |url=https://www.puzha.com/blog/abudabi-shakthi-award/ |title=അബുദാബി ശക്തി അവാർഡ് |publisher=Puzha.com |date=3 July 2017 |access-date=3 January 2023 }}
2017: Vayalar Award – Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kerala/article19823851.ece |title=T.D. Ramakrishnan bags Vayalar award |newspaper=The Hindu |date=8 October 2017 |accessdate=18 April 2018}}