Kovilan
Kandanisseri Vattamparambil Velappan Ayyappan (9 July 1923 – 2 June 2010) or V. V. Ayyappan, better known by his pen name Kovilan, was an Indian Malayalam language novelist and freedom fighter from Kerala. He is considered one of the most prolific writers of contemporary Indian literature. In all, he had authored 11 novels, 10 collections of short stories, three essays and a play.
V. V. Ayyapan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kandanissery Vattamparambil Velappan Ayyappan 9 July 1923 Kandanassery, Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kingdom of Cochin, British India |
| Died | 2 June 2010 (aged 86) Kunnamkulam, Thrissur, Kerala, India |
| Pen name | Kovilan |
| Occupation | Writer, soldier, freedom fighter |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Alma mater | Kandanisseri Excelsior School
Nenmini Higher Elementary School Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College at Pavaratty |
| Genre | Novel, short story, essay |
| Notable works | Ezhamedangal, Thottangal, Thattakam |
| Notable awards | Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award 1972 Thottangal Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award 2005 |
He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1972 and 1977 and the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 1998. He was also a recipient of the Kerala state government's highest literary honour Ezhuthachan Puraskaram in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Malayalam literature. He had been a Fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi since 1997 and Sahitya Akademi since 2005.