On print
Sumangali ---
A novel on
Sumangali scheme victims
Subrabharathi
Manian
Translated
from Tamil
by P.RAMGOPAL
SUBRABHARATHI MANIAN has been writing short stories,
Noveletts and Novels with care and concern for the mariginalised for whom
existence itself is a battle they have to fight daily against the merciless
forces of society. Through a careful
blending of monologues and dialogues he carves his characters with a rare
degree of dexterity.
Mr. Manian has won many awards including the prestigious
‘Katha’ award for the best short story writer from the President of India. And Best novelist award from Tamil Nadu
Government fir Sayathirai novel and it has been translated in English, Hindi,
Malayalam, Bengali,Kannada. Two more his novels translated in English .He has
published more than 200 hundred short stories, ten short story collections and
quite a few novels., 14 novels. His
latest short story collection, Gugaikalin
Nizalil was released on 28th August, 2016, at the Coimbatore Book Fair. His
stories have been translated into many Indian languages, English and Hungarian.
His books are prescribed as text books in various universities. He is also the editor of the Tamil literary
magazine, ‘Kanavu’ since 1987.He has published 50 books in total including 14
novels.
The novel, Sumangali
talks about the pathetic condition of girls caught in the Sumangali scheme of
the Mills in Tamilnadu. The greatness of this novel lies not in its portrayal
of the misery of these girls but in its description of how the heroine,
Muthulakshmi, comes out of her misery with a strong will that radiates
optimism. Instead of brooding and bemoaning over her pathetic condition, she
accepts it, adjusts herself to it and finally achieves a rare and enviable
state of contentment. This little girl’s
life is not only something to be wondered at but is also something from which
we all have to learn a handful of lessons.
P.Ramgopal is a retired Associate Professor of English. He is
interested in translating books, both literary and non literary, from English
to Tamil and vice versa. He has translated Mr. Bava Chelladurai’s book 19 D.M. Saron from English to Tamil. Mr.
Bava’s short story The Pain (vali))
translated by him has appeared in Sahitya Akademi’s Journal, Indian Litreature (May/June 2013). Mr.Ramgopal
has recently translated three books on Science from English to Tamil. These
have been published as a series under the title, Tell Me… by Sapna Book House,
Coimbatore . His wife, Prof. K. Chandra, has co-authored these books. He signs
his blog, kattapai as liniraa and his
e-mail id is proframgopal@gmail.com
