Lalitha Lenin

Lalitha Lenin (Malayalam: ലളിത ലെനിന്‍‍; born 17 July 1946, Thrithalloor, Thrissur, Kerala) is a renowned Indian poet in Malayalam.

K. K. Lalitha Bai (her official name) was also the Head of the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. In addition, she was a member in the Senate and Academic Council of the University of Kerala, General Council of Kerala Sahitya Academy, Jansikshan Sansthan Management Board, Governing Body of the State Institute of Children’s Literature, State Resource Centre, Kerala State Core Group on Continuing Education. She was also a member of the Governing Body of the State Institute of Languages.

Personal life

Lalitha Lenin was born in 1946 at Thrithalloor, Thrissur, Kerala. She is married to Mr. K.M. Lenin who is also a writer and columnist dealing with international affairs. Her son, Anil Lale and her daughter-in-law Bidushi Lale are both lawyers and are working in Mumbai.

Background

She graduated from the University of Kerala with degrees in Chemistry, Education and Library Science.

She was awarded the Dr. S.R. Ranganathan Gold Medal for securing first Rank in Master of Library Science Degree Examination from the University of Mysore in 1976. She joined as Assistant Librarian at Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur in 1977. In 1979, she became a Lecturer at Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kerala. From 1990 to 1995 she served as the Head of the Department.

She retired as Associate Professor from the Department on March 31, 2006.

Bibliography

Lalitha Lenin has been contributing poems, short-stories and articles to main-stream periodicals since 1971.

Poetry collections

• Karingili (1976)
• Karkidavaavu (1995)
• Namukku Praarthikkaam (2000)
• Kadal (poems for children) (2000)

Novel

• Minnu (novel for children)

Television programmes

• Lyrics for Mahabali, Thiruvananthapuram Doordarshan (1987).
• Script for a documentary on Library Movement in Kerala, produced for Thiruvananthapuram Doordarshan(1988).
• Stories for two television serials Oridathorikkal (1990) and Mookkuthiyum Manchadiyum (1998) in Thiruvananthapuram Doordarshan.
• Presentation of the Television Programme Aksharam (16 episodes) in Thiruvananthapuram Doordarshan (1999).
• Judge on Kairali TV's poetry based reality show Mampazham (2010)

General

• Puthiya Vaayana, a book on reading for women.

Translations

• Public Library Sevanam (2006) (Tr. of Public Library Service: IFLA/UNESCO Guidelines for Development, Munchen: K.G. Saur, 2001)
• Bhoodaivangal (Tr. of The Earth Gods) in the Malayalam translation of Works of Kahlil Gibran. Kottayam, DC Books, 2002

Academics

She has 12 papers in the discipline of Library and Information Science to her credit.

Awards

Lalitha Lenin's book, Minnu, was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for children's literature in 1986. She is also a recipient of the Abudhabi Shakti Award for poetry in 1996 and the Moolur Award for poetry in 2001.

External links

• Official website of Lalitha Lenin
• Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kerala
• Issue of Muse India: The literary journal featuring Lalitha Lenin also