K. A. Beena - Misplaced Pages

Malayalam-language Indian writer

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K. A. Beena

Born	(1964-11-11) 11 November 1964 (age 60) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Occupation	Writer, journalist, columnist
Notable works	Beena Kanda Russia
Website
kabeena.in

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: 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. ISBN 9788124017159
2005: Koumaram Kadannu Varunnath – Short Stories
2008: Brahmaputhrayile Veedu – travelogue, ISBN 9789354828874
2008: Radio Kathayum Kalayum – Malayalam radio broadcasting history
2010: Dateline – Charithrathe Chirakilettiyuavar, ISBN 9788122608854
2010: Ammakkuttiyude School – children's literature
2011: Bhootha Kannadi – essay collection, ISBN 9788130012100
2012: Madhyamangalkku Parayanullathu – children's literature
2012: Sheethanidra – Short Stories
2013: Basheer Enna Anugraham – memoir
2015: Basheerinte Kathukal – memoir
2015: Chuvadukal – travelogue, ISBN 9788124020128
2015: Perumazhayath – memoir
2015: Kadannal – essay collection
2017: Kuttikkalam – memoir, ISBN 9788126475032
2017: Sanitary padinte anthima rahasyam – essay collection, ISBN 9789386637185
2017: Ammakkuttiyude Lokam – children's literature, ISBN 9788126465170
2018: Athirthiyude Athiru – memoir, ISBN 9789352823369
2019: Kathakal – Stort Stories
2022: Miliyude Aaakasham – children's literature
2022: Rosum Koottukarum – children's literature, ISBN 9789355495549
2023: Venalil Pootha Maram – Children's Novel
2023: Unmadiyude munnile Alice – Essays

References

^ "Accomplished writer and journalist : K.A. Beena". Brand Kerala Online. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
^ Sudhish, Navamy (5 July 2013). "A torrent of memories". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
Nagarajan, Saraswathy (13 November 2013). "Home Alone". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
"ദലിതരും സ്ത്രീകളും ഇപ്പോഴും അടിമകൾ : കെ എ ബീന" [Dalits and women still slaves : KA Bina] (in Malayalam). Manorama Online. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
"Activities". University of Kerala Department of Communication and Journalism. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
"Laadli awards presented to mediapersons". The Hindu. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
"Media awards". The Hindu. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
"അമ്മക്കുട്ടിയുടെ ലോകം... ഗ്രാമീണ നന്മയുടെ എഴുത്ത്" [Ammakutty's world... the writing of rural goodness]. Malayalam.oneindia.com (in Malayalam). 10 June 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2019.

External links

New books on the shelf on The Hindu
Icy Slumber, a 2012 article in volume 56, issue 5 (271) of Indian Literature

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