Kozhikode: Renowned Malayalam writer P Valsala died of a heart failure here on Tuesday. She was 85.
Valsala had been admitted to the KMCT Medical College at Mukkom. She lived with her husband Maroli Appukkutty at the house of their daughter Dr MA Mini at Agastiamuzhi near Mukkom. Her son, Arun Maroli works in the US.
Valsala was a recipient of numerous literary honours, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Muttathu Varkey Award, and the CV Kunhiraman Memorial Sahitya Award.
She served as chairperson of the Sahitya Akademi and had also associated with the left-aligned cultural organisation, Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangam.
Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal, Nellu and Kolli are some of her popular works. She penned over 25 anthologies of short stories and 17 novels.
Valsala was born on August 28, 1939 at Vellimaukunnu. She studied at Kanjirathinkal LP School and Nadakavu Girls High School, where she later worked.
She met Appukkutty during her teaching days. After marriage, the couple moved to Wayanad, which was the setting of her critically acclaimed work 'Nellu' that told the story of the tribal communities that lived there. Later when 'Nellu' was made into a movie by Ramu Kariat, Valsala wrote the screenplay.
During the days in Wayanad, Valsala met naxalite leader Varghese, who was later murdered.
Her characters oozed life, they weren't figments of imagination. Village life and nature inspired her stories. She refused to classify writings into Dalit literature, women's writing, and so on and even opposed the idea of feminism.
To Valsala, writing was a hobby she delved into once after her daily responsibilities at home and school were done.
