V. J. Mathews

Vanniyamparambil Joseph Mathews, popularly known as V. J. Mathews, is a Malayalam writer, Indian Air Force personnel and businessman from Kerala, India. He is the founder and Chairman of the Leetha Group of companies, established in Kalamasserry, Cochin, Kerala. Mathews started his own industrial packaging business named ‘Leetha Industries’ at Kalamassery with seven employees, and financial assistance from a bank. It grew to be a major industrial venture with four factories and 500 employees. He is the chairman of ‘Leetha Group’ consisting of Leetha Pack, Leetha Graphics, Leetha Press & Process and a partnership concern, Leetha Industries, which is an export company in Kerala. His first novel Adiyozhukkukal (1982) was serialized in Kerala Times. Current Books published Adiyozhukkukal in three editions. In 1983, a story named 'Maranathinte Manamulla Onasmarankal' received an award from Vanitha' Ten stories were published in various publications. He has published twenty five books, including three English books (The Upsurge, Untold Gospel, Devil and Deity.