Erumeli Parameswaran Pillai (12 December 1932 – 7 February 2014) was a Malayalam-language writer, teacher, scholar, and literary critic from Kerala, India. He wrote over forty books, including five novels, four collections of stories, 11 scholarly works, and a few one-act plays and children's literature. He is also known for the work Malayala Sahityam Kalaghattangaliloode, a comprehensive history of Malayalam literature. He received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions in 2009.
Biography Pillai was born on 12 December 1932 in Erumeli in the Kottayam district as the son of Velamparampil Krishna Pillai and Lakshmikuttyamma. He obtained MA degrees in Malayalam and Sociology from the University of Kerala and an MEd degree from the University of Madras. He became a school teacher in 1952 and worked in Travancore Devaswom Board High Schools in Erumeli, Thakazhi and Tiruvalla. He became a teacher at Farooq Training College near Calicut in 1964. In Calicut, he flourished as a writer, mainly influenced by the friendship he had with famous writers of the time Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and S. K. Pottekkatt.Binu Thankachan (12 December 2022). "ഓണാട്ടുകരക്കാരനായി ജീവിച്ചു മറഞ്ഞ എരുമേലി". Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
He was the Secretary of Kerala Sahitya Akademi (1988–91) and the first Principal of the Kottayam BEd Centre of the Mahatma Gandhi University. He conducted several training programmes at regional and national levels on literacy, adult education, library science, and language teaching. He was a member of the Faculties of Education and the Board of Studies of the Universities of Kerala and Calicut. He worked as the State Secretary of Deshabhimani Study Circle and as the General Secretary and State Secretary of Progressive Arts and Literature Society.
Pillai published his first story "Oru Nalla Manushyan" on 18 March 1956 in the weekend edition of Deshabandhu. In 1974, he started a printing press called Yuvakala in Calicut after realising the high costs and delays in publishing books. In 1980, the printing press was shifted to Chettikulangara under the name Pratibha Press. He also established a publishing company called Pratibha Books in Chettikulangara, which was inaugurated by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. Pillai closely associated with P. N. Panicker in the activities of Kerala Grandhasala Sangham. An avid book lover, Pillai had a collection of over 25,000 books in his home library.
Pillai published over forty books. His novels include Pennu, Nizhalukal, Lady Teacher, Oru Premathinte Katha, and Malayile Manka. Autographum Neela Kannukalum, Theliyatha Kalpadukal, Pazhaya Bandhavum Puthiya Vazhitharakalum, and Anthivelicham are some of his short story collections. He published several books on education and also authored the book Malayala Sahityam Kalaghattangaliloode, which is a comprehensive history of Malayalam literature over the years.
In 1957, Pillai married S. Saradamma, a native of Chettikulangara in Alleppey district. Pillai who originally hailed from Erumeli lived most of his life in Chettikulangara. Pillai suffered a heart attack on 7 February 2014 and died the same day at a private hospital in Mavelikkara."പ്രൊഫ.എരുമേലി പരമേശ്വരന്‍പിള്ള അന്തരിച്ചു". Madhyamam. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2023. The Sakthi Erumeli Award given as part of the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Awards, is instituted in his memory."ഡി സി ബുക്സ് പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ച 'ചിലന്തിനൃത്തം', ‘വുമൺ ഈറ്റേഴ്‌സ്‌’ എന്നീ പുസ്തകങ്ങൾക്ക് അംഗീകാരം". DC Books. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
Bibliography Fiction Novels Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1962 Lady Teacher ലേഡിടീച്ചർ Champakulam: B.K.M. Book Depot 1963 Malayile Manka മലയിലെ മങ്ക Champakulam: B.K.M. Book Depot 1964 Pennu പെണ്ണ്‌ Kottayam: N.B.S. 1966 Nizhalukal നിഴലുകൾ Trichur: Current Books 1968 Oru Premathinte Katha ഒരു പ്രേമത്തിന്റെ കഥ Champakulam: B.K.M. Book Depot
Short story collections Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1962 Autographum Neela Kannukalum ഓട്ടോഗ്രാഫും നീലക്കണ്ണുകളും Quilon: Sree Rama Vilasom 1967 Theliyatha Kalpadukal തെളിയാത്ത കാല്‌പാടുകൾ Kottayam: N.B.S. 1967 Pazhaya Bandhavum Puthiya Vazhitharayum പഴയ ബന്ധവും പുതിയ വഴിത്താരയും Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1976 Anthivelicham അന്തിവെളിച്ചം Chettikulangara: Jayanthi 1998 Erumeliyude Kathakal എരുമേലിയുടെ കഥകള്‍ Mavelikkara: Prathibha Books
Children's literature Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1965 Adrishya Manushyan അദൃശ്യ മനുഷ്യൻ Champakulam: B.K.M. Book Depot 1968 Bala Sakuntalam ബാലശാകുന്തളം Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1977 Veera Charitangal വീരചരിതങ്ങൾ Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1977 Kochu Komban കൊച്ചുകൊമ്പൻ Chettikulangara: Jayanthi 1980 Uttara Rama Charitam ഉത്തരരാമചരിതം Kottayam: N.B.S.
One-act play Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1965 Kannuneerum Punchiriyum കണ്ണുനീരും പുഞ്ചിരിയും Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1991 Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre ധർമ്മക്ഷേത്രേ കുരുക്ഷേത്രേ Trichur: Current Books
Non-fiction Books on education Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1966 Malayala Bhashadhyapanam മലയാള ഭാഷാധ്യാപനം Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1966 Vidyabhyasa Manasastram വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ മനഃശാസ്‌ത്രം Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1966 Vidyabhyasa Tatvangalum Vidyala Ghatanayum വിദ്യാഭ്യാസതത്വങ്ങളും വിദ്യാലയഘടനയും Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1969 Vidyabhyasavum Desiya Vikasanavum: Kothari Commission Oru Pathanam വിദ്യാഭ്യാസവും ദേശീയ വികസനവും -കൊഠാരി കമ്മീഷൻ ഒരു പഠനം Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1974 Vidyabhyasam Puthiya Kazhchapadil വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം പുതിയ കാഴ്‌ചപ്പാടിൽ Kottayam: S.P.C.S. 1979 Primary Vidyabhyasam: Tatvangalum Prasnangalum പ്രൈമറി വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം: തത്ത്വങ്ങളും പ്രശ്‌നങ്ങളും Kottayam: S.P.C.S. 1980 Arogya Kayika Vidyabhyasam ആരോഗ്യ കായിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം Kottayam: Auroville 1988 Vidyalaya Bharanavum Ghatanayum വിദ്യാലയഭരണവും ഘടനയും Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram Adhunika Vidyabhyasam: Prasnavum Sameepanavum ആധുനികവിദ്യാഭ്യാസം, പ്രശ്‌നവും സമീപനവും Vidyalaya Bharanavum Sanghadanavum വിദ്യാലയ ഭരണവും സംഘാടനവും
Literary criticism, essays and scholarly literature Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1959 Poya Thalamurayil Ninnu പോയ തലമുറയിൽ നിന്ന്‌ Alleppey: Southern 1962 Prathibhashalikal പ്രതിഭാശാലികൾ Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1966 Malayala Sahityam Kalaghattangaliloode മലയാളസാഹിത്യം കാലഘട്ടങ്ങളിലൂടെ Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1966 Sahitya Nayakanmar സാഹിത്യനായകന്‍മാര്‍ Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1971 Natakathileykk Oru Kaitiri നാടകത്തിലേയ്ക്കൊരു കൈത്തിരി Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1972 Sameeksha സമീക്ഷ Kottayam: Vidyarthi Mithram 1979 Sahityavalokam സാഹിത്യാവലോകം Calicut: Deshabhimani 1991 Avar Engane Chinthikkunnu അവർ എങ്ങനെ ചിന്തിക്കുന്നു Kottayam: N.B.S. 1992 Alochana ആലോചന Kottayam: S.P.C.S. 1999 Akshara Deepangal അക്ഷരദീപങ്ങൾ Mavelikkara: Prathibha Nammude Sahityakaranmar നമ്മുടെ സാഹിത്യകാരൻമാർ
Pen-picture (Thoolikachitram) Year Title Title in Malayalam Publisher 1963 Keralathile Ezhuthukar കേരളത്തിലെ എഴുത്തുകാർ Thuravoor: Narasimha Vilasom
References
External links Erumeli Parameswaran Pillai at Grandham (in Malayalam)