K. A. Beena is an Indian author, journalist, and columnist who writes in Malayalam on a variety of topics, particularly social issues affecting women. Her publications include memoirs, magazine articles, travelogues, children's books, essay collections, short stories, and history books about journalism and media. She is now retired as deputy director for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's Bureau of Outreach and Communication.
Early life and family She was born in Vazhayila, Trivandrum district of Kerala, the daughter of journalist M. Karunakaran Nair and his wife Ambika. She has a Master's degree in journalism and English literature from the University of Kerala and wrote her thesis about K. Balakrishnan. Her husband, Baiju Chandran, is now retired from Doordarshan as deputy director of Doordarshan Thiruvanandapuram. They have at least one child, filmmaker Ritwik Baiju.
Career Beena started writing in her early school days, completing Beena Kanda Russia, a travelogue, at the age of 13. It published for the first time in 1981. The book recounts her experiences of attending the International Children's camp at Artek in the Ukrainian SSR in 1977. In 1987, she became the assistant editor for Kerala Kaumudi women's magazine and moved to the Mathrubhumi Printing And Publishing Company in 1989. In 1991, she joined the Indian Information Service for the Government of India and worked as the news editor of All India Radio and Doordarshan. She also worked in the Press Information Bureau and Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.
Beena is a regular columnist in many Malayalam-language publications, including the Kerala Kaumudi daily Adayalangal, the Mathrubhumi online Akakazcha, the Manorama online Vakkukalkappuram, and the Deshabhimani weekly Vazhivilakku. She has also contributed to Vanitha, Kanyaka, and the Deshabhimani daily Malayalam news. Beena travels to villages around India and writes about the rural settings. Her 2008 travelogue Brahmaputhrayile veedu is of her travel experiences in Northeast India; others include Chuvadukal and Nadi Thinnunna Dweep. Her book on Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, Basheer Enna Anugraham, is a memoir and tribute to the writer and details their unusual friendship. Beena also writes novels for children, including Ammakkuttiyude Lokam and Ammakkuttiyude School. Perumazhayath is a memoir about nostalgia and friendship, and Sheethanidra and Kaumaram Kadannu Varunnathu are both short story collections. Radio Kathayum Kalayum details the history of radio broadcasting in Malayalam and Date line – Charithathe Chirakilettiyavar contains biographies of 17 veteran journalists in Kerala.
She is now retired as deputy director of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's Bureau of Outreach and Communication.
Awards 2010: Akashvani Annual Award for best script, Prasar Bharati 2014: Laadli Media Award for digital and print, United Nations Population Fund and Population First, Mumbai 2015: Rajalekshmy Award for literary contribution 2016: Laadli Media Award for digital and print, United Nations Population Fund and Population first, Mumbai 2016: V.K. Madhavankutty Award for print media, Trivandrum Press Club 2019: Sheela Teacher Award for socially committed journalism work, Central Board of Secondary Education 2023: Kerala Bala Sahithya Academy award 2023 for children's literature.
Selected works 1981: Beena Kanda Russia – travelogue. 2005: Koumaram Kadannu Varunnath – Short Stories 2008: Brahmaputhrayile Veedu – travelogue, 2008: Radio Kathayum Kalayum – Malayalam radio broadcasting history 2010: Dateline – Charithrathe Chirakilettiyuavar, 2010: Ammakkuttiyude School – children's literature 2011: Bhootha Kannadi – essay collection, 2012: Madhyamangalkku Parayanullathu – children's literature 2012: Sheethanidra – Short Stories 2013: Basheer Enna Anugraham – memoir 2015: Basheerinte Kathukal – memoir 2015: Chuvadukal – travelogue, 2015: Perumazhayath – memoir 2015: Kadannal – essay collection 2017: Kuttikkalam – memoir, 2017: Sanitary padinte anthima rahasyam – essay collection, 2017: Ammakkuttiyude Lokam – children's literature, 2018: Athirthiyude Athiru – memoir, 2019: Kathakal – Stort Stories 2021: Pathrajeevithangal - Media history 2022: Miliyude Aaakasham – children's literature 2022: Rosum Koottukarum – children's literature, 2023: Venalil Pootha Maram – Children's Novel 2023: Unmadiyude munnile Alice – Essays 2023: Oh Mihrin– Children's Literature 2024: Aa Kasera Aarudethanu? - Travelogue, Village studies 2024: Mannequin - Short Stories
References
External links New books on the shelf on The Hindu Icy Slumber, a 2012 article in volume 56, issue 5 (271) of Indian Literature