Paul Zacharia

Paul Zacharia, popularly known mononymously as Zacharia, is an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. Known for his body of literary works composed of short stories, novellas, travelogues, screenplays, essays, columns and children's books, Zacharia is a distinguished fellow of Kerala Sahitya Akademi. He is also a recipient of the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story.

Paul Zacharia
Paul Zacharia at Palakkad Thasrak
BornMundattuchundayil Paul Scaria
(1945-06-05) June 5, 1945
Urulikunnam, Kottayam, Kerala, India
OccupationShort story Writer, Novelist and essayist
LanguageMalayalam
NationalityIndian
Notable awards
SpouseLalitha
Relatives
  • M. S. Paul (father)
  • Thresiakutty (mother)
  • M.P. Joseph (brother)
  • Mary Mundattuchundayil (sister)

Biography
Zacharia at Chavara Vikas Cultural Club

Born Mundattuchundayil Paul Scaria (M.P. Scaria) on June 5, 1945, in Urulikunnam, in Kottayam district of the south Indian state of Kerala,[1] Zacharia was the youngest of the three children of M. S. Paul Mundattuchundayil, a farmer, and his wife, Thresiakutty Paul. His early education was at Sree Dayananda Primary School, a local school in Urulikunnam and later he continued his studies at St Joseph's High School, Vilakumadom from where he matriculated in 1960. Subsequently, he completed the pre-University course at St. Thomas College, Palai in 1961 and moved to St. Philomena's College, Mysore to earn his bachelor's degree in English Literature, History, and Economics in 1964. His post-graduate education was at the Central College of Bangalore and after earning a master's degree in English literature in 1966, he started his career as a lecturer of English at MES College, Malleswaram where he worked for a year.

Returning to his home state, Zacharia joined St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally in 1967 as a lecturer and stayed there until his move to Coimbatore in 1971 to take up the position of the area manager of Ruby Tyre and Rubber Works, Bengaluru. His stay in Coimbatore lasted only a year and shifted his base to New Delhi to spend the next two decades there, working with various media and publishing houses such as Affiliated East-West Press, All India Management Association (AIMA),[2] Press Trust of India (PTI) and the Malayalam edition of the India Today. He returned to Kerala in 1993[3] and was a part of the group that founded Asianet. There, he also co-hosted a show, Patravisesham, the first television program review, along with a senior journalist, B. R. P. Bhaskar,[4] which ran for 7 years.

Zacharia lives in Thiruvananthapuram.[5]

Literary career

Zacharia has been compared to Jorge Luis Borges as he has limited his creative writing to short stories and novellas.[6] He writes regularly for Kerala's leading newspapers and magazines, has been a public speaker for over two decades airing his non-conformist stance in politics, and his writing is marked by humour and unconventional themes.[5] His columns and articles in English have also appeared in national periodicals such as ‘India Today’, ‘Outlook’, ‘The Week’, ‘The Hindu’ ‘The Deccan Herald,’ ‘The Pioneer’, ‘The Times of India’ ‘The Economic Times’, ‘The Hindustan Times,’ ‘Tehelka’, ‘The New Indian Express’ and ‘The Indian Express’.

A keen traveller, Zacharia has published travelogues on Africa, England, Saudi Arabia, and China, as well as the Kumbh Mela. In his writing career spanning six decades, he has been the recipient of several awards and honours such as the Kendra Sahitya Akademi (Indian Academy of Literature) Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Academy of Literature) Award. In November 2013 he was elected a Distinguished Fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi.

Paul Zacharia is a member of the Press Club of India, New Delhi and Trivandrum Club, Thiruvananthapuram. He lives in Thiruvananthapuram, and is married to Lalitha. They have a daughter and a son.

Works

Short story Collections
  • Zacharia (1969). Kunnu. Current Books.
  • Zacharia (1969). Ambadi. Poorna Publications.
  • Zacharia (1978). Oridathu: Zachariyayude kathakal. SPCS.
  • Zacharia (1983). Oru Nasrani Yuvavum Goulisasthravum. Current Books.
  • Zacharia (1986). Aarkariyam: kathakaḷ. Current Books.
  • Zacharia (1993). Salaam America. Kasaragode, Kalakshethram: DC Books.
  • Zacharia (1997). Kannaadi Kaanmolavum: kathakaḷ. DC Books. ISBN 978-81-7130-774-6.
  • Zacharia (1997). Kannaadi Kaanmolavum. Kottayam, DCB: DC Books.
  • Zacharia (1999). Kanyakumari: kathakaḷ. DC Books.
  • Zacharia (2001). Zachariayude Penkathakal: kathakaḷ. DC Books. ISBN 9788126402663.
  • Zacharia (2002). Zachariayude Thiranjedutha Kathakal. Current Books.
  • Zacharia (2002). Zachariyayude Kathakal. DC Books. ISBN 9788126404766.
  • Zacharia (2003). Prathikathakal. Kottayam, D C Books. ISBN 9788126406753.
  • Zacharia (2007). Zachariyayude Yeshu. DC Books.
  • Zacharia (2008). Ente Priyapetta Kathakal. Kottayam: DC Books.
  • Zacharia (2011). Alphonsammayude Maranavum Shavasamskaravum. DC Books.
  • Zacharia (2016). Then. DC Books. ISBN 9788126474769.

Novellas

Travelogues

Collections of Essays
  • Govindam Bhaja Moodamathe – Current Books, Kottayam, 1992
  • Zacharia (2002). Budhijeevikalekondu Enth Prayojanam?. Kollam, Sankeerthanam Publications.
  • Zacharia (1997). Buddhanum Njanum. Calicut, Mulberry.
  • Matha Amrithanandamayi: Bhagyavathiyum Nirbhagyavathiyum – Current Books, Thrissoor, 1999
  • Zacharia (2001). Karutha Kai. Kollam, Sankeerthanam Publications.
  • Matham, samskaram, Mathamoulikavaadam – Current Books, Thrissoor, 2001
  • Zacharia (2002). Sakhave Naam Aarkkuvendi Vilapikkanam?. Kollam, Sankeerthanam Publications.
  • Amrithanandamayi: Khattam Randu – Haritham Books, Kozhikode, 2003
  • Kayyoppukal, Haritham Books, Kozhikode, 2003
  • Zacharia (2004). Malayaliyude Avasaantahe Athazham. Kozhikode, Mathrubhumi Books. ISBN 9788182640337.
  • Sthuthiyayirikkatte – Rainbow Books, Chengannoor, 2004
  • Italian Connection – Sankeerthanam Publications, Kollam, 2006
  • Chavattukuttakal Undakunnathu – Pulari Books, Chennai, 2007
  • Njan Ezhuthunnathu Enthukondu? – Sankeerthanam Publications, Kollam, 2008
  • Bhakthiyum Pathrapravarthanavum – Olive Books, Kozhikode, 2009
  • Zacharia (2011). Samsarangal. Current Books.
  • Zacharia (2013). Sanmanassullavarku Samadanam. Kottayam: DC Books.
  • Ezhuthukaaranu Parayanullathu, Green Books, 2017
  • Maayaasooryan, Green Books, 2017
  • Ezhuthukaarkku Indiakku Vendi Enthu Cheyyan Kazhiyum? Olive Books. 2017

Memoirs

Children’s Literature
  • 'Vaayanasaala, – Kearal State Institute of Children’s Literature, Trivandrum, 2008
  • Padayaali – Kerala State Institute of Children's Literature, Trivandrum, 2009
  • Shanthanuvinte Pakshikal – Kerala State Institute of Children's Literature, Trivandrum, 2011
  • Zacharia (2009). Ju-story. Chennai: Tulika. ISBN 9788181467348. OCLC 840599219.

Translations into Malayalam
  • Bhavanayude Anthyam – Arundhathi Roy, DC Books, Kottayam, 1999
  • Njangal Ningalkku Bhoomi Vittaal – Chief Seattle's speech, DC Books, Kottayam, 2010
  • Oru Enthinenthinu Penkutty – Mahaswetha Devi, Tulika, Chennai, 2003

Screenplays

TV Serials
  • Kairalivilasam Lodge, Doordarshan, Thiruvananthapuram, 1988

Translations of Works into Other Languages

English

German
  • Paul Zacharia (2004). Bhaskara Pattelar und andere Geschichten. Horlemann Verlag. ISBN 978-3895021794.

Kodava
  • Babu Patela- Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, Madikeri, 1996

Awards

References
  1. "Paul Zacharia on Veethi portal". veethi.com. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  2. Mohan Lal (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 4644–. ISBN 978-81-260-1221-3.
  3. "A writer's tale of being a drinker in Kerala". BBC. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. "Bhaskar BRP on Kerala Media Academy". archive.keralamediaacademy.org. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  5. "Paul Zacharia - books". The Hindu. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. May 7, Ravi Shankar; May 7, 2002 ISSUE DATE; October 31, 2001UPDATED; Ist, 2012 17:32. "Book review: Paul Zacharia's 'Two Novellas'". India Today. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. "Paul Zacharia -- Malayalam Writer: The South Asian Literary Recordings Project (Library of Congress New Delhi Office)". www.loc.gov. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  8. Praveen, S. r (1 November 2020). "Writer Paul Zacharia chosen for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  9. "Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 2 February 2019. Archived from the original on 5 July 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  10. "Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship". Mathrubhumi. 11 October 2013. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2019.

Further reading
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