ThiJa or Thi. Janakiraman (1921-1982) was a central figure in the lively Tamil literary scene of the mid-twentieth century. Some would say he was the most gifted of all who were writing at that time. His descriptions of life in rural and small-town Tamil Nadu are almost without parallel. He published over a hundred exquisite short stories, nine novels, two novellas, four travelogues, and occasional essays on literary topics. In 1979 he won the Sahitya Akademi Award.
