Chandramathi

Chandrika Balan (born 17 January 1954) is an Indian writer who has published books in English and Malayalam, under the pen name Chandramathi, ചന്ദ്രമതി in Malayalam. She is a writer of fiction, a translator, and critic in English and Malayalam. Chandramathi has published four books in English and 20 in Malayalam, including 12 collections of short stories, an anthology of medieval Malayalam poetry, two collections of essays, two memoirs, and five books translated from English. The Malayalam film Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela was based on her book. Chandramathi was born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She graduated in English Language and Literature from the University of Kerala in 1976. In 1988 she received her PhD, from the University of Kerala. She was Professor of English literature at All Saints' College, Thriuvananthapuram. From 1993 to 1994 she served as Executive Editor of Medieval Indian Literature. She received the Professor Sivaprasad Foundation Award for Most Outstanding Teacher in 1999 and Alumni Association of St. Berchmans College's award for Best College Teacher in Kerala in 2002. In 1998 she visited Sweden with a team of 10 Indian writers under the Sahitya Akademi's cultural exchange programme. The visit inspired her to write the short story "Reindeer". Aparnayude Thadavarakal(Aswathiyudethum) . Kottayam: DCBooks 2013