Short story writer and recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award, Thomas Joseph, passed away on July 29, at his house in Aluva in Ernakulam district. The writer had been ailing for the past three years following a stroke, Mathrubhumi reported. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his condolences over the death of the writer. Thomas Joseph, known for his unique style of writing, was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 2013 for his short story Marichavar Cinema Kanukayanu (The Dead Are Watching Cinema). A native of Ernakulam, Thomas Joseph’s other noted works include Chitra-salabhangalude Kappal (The Ship of Butterflies) and Athbhutha Samasya among others. He has also received the SBT Literary award for his story collection Chitra Salabhangalude Kappal and the KA Kodungalloor Memorial Prize for his story Lokavasanam Vare.
It was in 2018 that Thomas suffered a stroke. He had been bedridden ever since then and reportedly went into a coma. There had been reports earlier about other Malayalam writers trying to raise funds for the treatment of Thomas Joseph. Malayalam writer Benyamin had in 2019 taken to Facebook, urging people to lend a helping hand for the treatment of Thomas Joseph. In 2018, actor Santhosh Keezhattor performed his noted one-act play Pen Nadan as a fundraiser event to help the ailing writer.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Industries Minister P Rajeev, among others, condoled the death of the writer. The funeral will be held at his hometown in Aluva on Friday.
Many who cherished the works of Thomas Joseph, took to social media to offer their condolences on his death. “I have not read anything like what Thomas Joseph has written, in any Indian language. His language had magic and it is difficult to construct even one line like him,” wrote writer and actor Shaji Chen.