Book Details
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Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
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Author: R. Prema
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Language: English
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Pages: 92
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Edition: 2023
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Cover: Paperback
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Dimensions: 21.5 cm x 14 cm
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Weight: 112 gm
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ISBN: 9789355486431
About the Book
This book is a critical and well-researched monograph on Val. Ma. Kothainayaki Ammal (1901–1960), one of the earliest and most prolific women writers in Tamil literature. Despite authoring an extraordinary 115 novels and playing a pioneering role in shaping the modern Tamil novel, her contribution has often remained underrepresented in mainstream literary histories. This work seeks to restore her rightful place as a major figure in Indian literary and social history.
Kothainayaki Ammal was far more than a novelist. She was a freedom fighter, journalist, magazine publisher, musician, social reformer, Khadi activist, public speaker, and a committed Gandhian. Through her writings and public life, she fearlessly addressed contemporary social issues such as women’s education, women’s property rights, dowry prohibition, widow remarriage, and the eradication of untouchability. Her magazine Jaganmohini became a powerful platform for feminist discourse and social reform.
The book highlights her role in nurturing women writers and singers, her imprisonment during the freedom struggle, and her belief in education as the foundation of women’s equality. It presents her as a visionary who broke multiple social barriers and embodied the ideal of the “New Woman” envisioned by Mahakavi Bharatiyar. This volume is an important contribution to the Makers of Indian Literature series and is essential reading for students, researchers, and readers interested in feminist studies, Tamil literature, and Indian social history.
About the Author
R. Prema is a distinguished feminist scholar, researcher, and writer. She is a former Professor in the Department of Tamil at Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai, and later served as Principal of Bhaktavatsalam Memorial College for Women. She has authored more than 20 books, including works for Sahitya Akademi, and has published over 200 research articles. Her book Penniyam has seen more than ten editions and remains widely read. She was awarded the Tamil Nadu State Government’s Mahakavi Bharathiyar Award in 2011 and is widely respected as a leading feminist voice in Tamil literary scholarship.
