Kanam EJ | |
|---|---|
| Born | Elavunkal Joseph Philip 13 June 1926 Kanam, Kottayam district, Kerala |
| Died | 13 June 1987(1987-06-13) (aged 61) |
| Occupation | writer |
Elavunkal Joseph Philip (13 June 1926 – 13 June 1987), popularly known by hispen nameKanam EJ, was aMalayalam novelist,short story writer, and lyricist. Along with his contemporary,Muttathu Varkey, he was known for a genre of sentiment-filled romantic fiction known aspainkili (janapriya) novel inMalayalam literature, written with the common man in mind.[1] Philip started the well knownMalayalam weeklyManorajyam and served as its editor.
Philip was born on 13 June 1926 as the son of Joseph of the Elavunkal house inKanam, a small village inKottayam district ofKerala.[2] He attended MHSSKangazha and passed Malayalam Higher. After schooling he joined military service. He returned toKottayam after the military service and joined CMS Middle School Kanam, as a teacher. Later he served as Malayalam Pandit in CMS schools ofMundakayam,Kumpalampoika,Punnavely andKottayam. Philip quit teaching and joined the popular Malayalam WeeklyMalayala Manorama as a journalist. In 1967 he resigned from Malayala Manorama and started his own Malayalam Weekly calledManorajyam. He later sold it to George Thomas ofKeraladwani.
Kanam emerged as one of the popular writers of Malayalam fiction during the 1960s and 1970s.[3] He mainly wrote social novels based on the Christian community ofKerala.[4] He was a prolific writer and has written about 100 novels. Almost all of his novels were published in serial installments (Neendakatha) inMalayala Manorama Weekly. One of his novels,Bharya, was adapted into aMalayalam film with the same title. The 1962 film was directed byKunchacko and starringSathyan andRagini.[5] Kanam also wrote lyrics to few Malayalam films.[6]
Kanam died on his 61st birthday in 1987.
