Ampasayya Naveen

Dr. 'Ampasayya' Naveen is a renowned Telugu novelist and short story writer. He was born in Vavilala, a village in Warangal District of southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in 1941. A professor of Economics, his style of thought-provoking narration led him to fictional writing.

He is regarded by many as one of the best writers Andhra Pradesh has ever producedFact|date=February 2007. He rose to literary fame with his novel "Ampasayya" (Bed of Arrows) thirty five years ago. With 28 novels, more than 50 short-stories and several literary essays to his credit, Dr. Naveen has joined the ranks of the most famous Telugu authors such as Vaddera Chandidas, Dr. Keseva Reddy, Ra.Vi Sastri, Vasireddy Sitadevi and Dasarathi Rangacharyulu.

Works

Naveen's novels, "Ampasayya", "Mullapodalu" (Thorn Bushes) and "Antasravanti"(Inner Stream), (popularly known as the "Ravi Trilogy"), brought the stream of consciousness writing technique to Telugu fiction. "Ampasayya" has gone through seven printings and has been translated into both Hindi (as "Sharshayya") and English (as "Bed of Thorns"). "Antasravanti" won the Telugu University's best novel award in 1994, which is equal to the state Sahitya Academy Award.

Popular with both his critics and the public, Naveen's explores the dynamics of the human mind and social relations in the context of contemporary issues facing man and society. "Cheekati Rojulu"(Dark Days) graphically depicts the atrocities committed by the state on the citizens of India during the Emergency of 1975-77. It is the first book of its kind to do so in any Indian language. Recently, the novel has been translated into English. "Women's College" and "Vichalitha"(The Disturbed) depict the discrimination and injustice endured by women in India. "Bandhavyalu" focuses on 25 years of socio-economic change in Telangana.

Three collections of short stories, "Life in a College", "Enimido Adugu" (Eighth step) and "From Anuradha with Love" have all been published by Dr. Naveen. Another short story collection, "Lifescapes" was recently released in English. Apart from winning awards, many of his stories have also been translated into Hindi, English, Tamil, Kannada and Marathi.

Dr. Naveen has also published a large number of critical articles, some of them in English, on Telugu fiction, films and other art forms. He has written a trilogy of novels against the backdrop of the history of Telangana from the early 1940s to the early 1990s as part of the Senior Fellowship awarded to writers of great skill by the Indian department of culture. One of these novels, "Bhandavyalu", was released on the date of Naveen's Shastipurti, on 24 December 2001". The second in this trilogy "Kalarekhalu" (Imprints of Time) was released on 24 December 2002, and the third "Chedirina Swapnalu" (Dreams Dispersed) on 24 December 2003.

"Kalarekhalu" won the Sahitya Academy Award for Naveen in 2004. Perhaps his greatest achievement though was when Kakatiya University presented him with an honorary Doctorate (Honoris Causa) at their 16th Convocation in 2004.

In 2000, Dr. Naveen had the honour of serving as a member of the Jury appointed by the government of Andhra Pradesh to decide the Nandi Awards for feature films.He has also been nominated to serve as a member of the Academic Senate at Kakatiya University for three years (2006 to 2009).

Recently he visited the USA on an invitation of the ATA (American Telugu Association) and delivered lectures at various locations in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Columbia, Chicago and Detroit.

Awards and Honours

"Honorary Doctorate" (Honoris causa) awarded by "Kakatiya University" in its 16th Convocation at Warangal in the year 2004.

"Prathibha Puraskaram" in the category of novel and short story by "Pottisriramulu Telugu University", Hyderabad for the year 2002.

"Raavi shastry award" , Hyderabad for the year 2000

"Jyesta Literary award", Vishakapatnam in 1999, for his best translation into English of his own short story "Bali" (Sacrifice).

"Vishla Sahitya academy award", Jagityala, in 1998, (Lifetime achievement award)

"Senior Fellowship" for two years (Oct 1997 to Sept. 1999) awarded by the "Department of Culture", Ministry of HRD, Govt of India, New Delhi, for writing a novel depicting fifty years of socio-economic and political history of telangana from 1944 to 1995.

"Best Novel Prize" for the year 1994 to "Antasravanthi" (inner Stream) by "Pottisriramulu Telugu University" (State Sahitya Academy Award).

"Best Novel Award" to "Dagudu Muthalu" (Hide and seek) by "Swathi"(Weekly Magazine) 1978.

"Best Short Story" to "Chera" (Bondage) by "Andhra Jyothi" (Weekly Magazine) 1987.

"Best Short Story" to "Thera" (Curtain) by "Andhra Prabha" (Weekly Magazine) 1986.

" Best Short Story" to "Dhadi" (Attack) by "Pallaki" (Weekly Magazine) 1985.

"Best Short Story" to "Bali" (Sacrifice) by "Swathi" (Monthly Magazine) 1984.

"Best Short Story" to "Hatya" (Murder) by "Andhra Jyothi" (Weekly Magazine) 1973.

Naveen Novels : Annotated Bibliography

"Ampasayya" (Bed of Arrows) depicts the life of University students. The stress is on the psycho economic factors. Narrative technique is stream of consciousness. This novel portrays only 16 hours in the life of a student who stays in a hostel. It has been translated in Hindi, Tamil end English.

"Vichelitha" (The Disturbed) depicts extra marital relation in a middle class family. If a man commits adultery, society excuses him. If the same is committed by a women, she is severely punished. The novel questions this double standards.

"Mullapodalu" (Thorn Bushes) is a sequeal of ampasayya. The problem depicted is educated unemployment. Because of unemployment the youth are drawn to different movements like naxalism, separate telangana, etc.

"Sowjanya" (Name of the Heroine) Narrates the story of unrequited love between Sowjanya and Krishna Rao. Krishna Rao falls in love with Sowjanya, but Sowjanya hates him.

"Sankellu" (Chains) tells the story of an idealist who loves freedom, but feels that he is in chains. He struggles to liberate himself from bondages like marriage, tradition, etc. Sankellu was made into a teleserial and was telecasted from Gemini TV for 13 weeks in 1999.

"Agadhalu"(Depths) is the story of a girl who struggles to achieve her life’s mission, in the face of heavy odds.

"Karuna" (Name of the heroine) is the daughter of a police officer who brings her up with strict decipline. Because of this unkind upbringing, karuna becomes a timid girl. When she is faced with a big crisis in her life regarding her marriage, she cannot take a bold decision and therefore ends here life.

"Dagudumuthalu"( Hide and Seek) depicts the platonic love between chaitanya and vikram who are colleagues in an office. Superficially they quarrel with each other every minute, but in their hearts they worship each other.

"Cheekati Rojulu"(Dark days) depicts the atrocities committed by the police on an innocent writer during the dark days of emergency of 1975. this novel is written in the form of a diary. This is only telugu novel which highlights state terrorism during the emergency. This novel was translated into Hindi and English.

"Mouna Ragalu" (Silent tunes) is a story of good number of boys and girls meet during the celebration of a marriage. Most of them are relatives and most cousins. During just a few days they develop deep attachments, but they depress after the marriage, forgetting everything.

"Taru Maru" (Changes of roles) is the story of childless couple. The husband thinks that his wife has a medical problem. He threatens her that he is going in for a second marriage. But medical examination of both establishes that he himself is unfit for having children. With this revelation their relationship drastically changes. Now the wife begins to dominate the husband.

"Anuraga Sravanthi" (Stream of Love) :Prabava special novel for December, 1979. yet to be published as book.. This novel depicts the deep love and attachment between a newly married wife and husband.

"Pratyusha" (Dawn) depicts the miserable life of the teachers in private unaided school. They are paid very meager salaries but are treated by management as bonded labourers.

"Andame Vishadam" (Bueaty is grief) Swathi (Monthly) special mvoel for May 1981. Yet to appread in book from. Ansame Vishadam shows how sometimes good looks become big curse even for a man.

"Theerani daham" (Unquenched Thirst) is a novel narrated in the form of letters between a writer and his female admirer. Their relationship is purely platonic.

"Chemmagillani kallu" (Eyes that don’t shed tears) depicts the stormy love affair between a young cricketer and a sales girl.

"Cheekati Moosina Ekanthamlo" (Lonely in the dark) suggest that it is better to go in for a divorce when a wife and husband realize that it is impossible to live together.

"Prayanamulo Pramadalu"( Troubles while traveling) is written in the form of a travelogue, Rajeshwar, a lecturer in a women's collage an excursion party of 50 young girls to south India. The travel and tribulations of these girls during the 10 days of going round the places in south India are depicted sensitively .

"Anthasravanthi" (Inner stream) is the sequeal to ampasayya and mullapodalu. In this novel the married and professional life of the progonist Ravi is depicted. It has won for naveen the prestigious telugu university award which is equivalent to state Sahitya Academy Award, for best novel in 1995.Note: Ampasayya,Mullapodalu and Anthasravanthi have come to be known as the Ravi trilogy in the telugu literary circle. These three depict different days/phases in the life of Ravi. The narrative technique is the stream of consciousness in all the three novels.

"Manoranyam" (Forest in the mind) is a story of group of friends- 3 men and 3 women- meet in a forest to celebrate and welcome the new year. After lot of fun and hilarity they start quarreling with each other under the influence of alcohol.

"Women’s college" is a novel that probes the lives of working women. These women who are employed in a women's college. In spite of earning their own livelihood, suffer many hardships and humiliations at the hands of society. They have two bosses their employer and the husband. They realize that to rebel and assert their rights is the only solution to their rights is the only solution to their problems.

"Drukkonalu" (View Points) Published in Andhra Bhoomi (Daily) as daily serial in 1999 in a popular daily. This novel is an experiment in a new narrative technique. As incident takes place ( a women is said to have been raped in a dental clinic kept by a quack). The people involved in the incident are : a reporter, a police office, the victim, the quack, etc. giving different versions of the same incident. The truth, however seems to elude observer.

"Bandhavyalu" (Relationship) depicts changing social and family relationships in telangana region against the background of various movements like the separate Telangana agitation, Naxalite’s armed struggle etc., during the last twenty five years.Note: This novel is scheduled to be made into Tele-serial with 260 episodes and approved for telecast by Doordarshan from Jan 2007.

"Raktha Kasaram" (Pool Of Blood) is the recent novel serialized in “Vijaya Viharam” (Monthly) . This novel deals with the contemporary problem of Naxalism in telangana. It depicts the socio-economic reasons for the spread of this movement and how innocent lives are lost in the war between Police and Naxalites. This novel created a stir in literary circles when it was published in the form of a book in March 2006.

"Kalarekhalu" ( Imprints of Time) depicts the social, political and cultural history of Telangana regiond (most backward region of Andhra Pradesh) from 1956 to 1994. This novel won the ventral Sahitya Academy award for year 2004. In its citation, Sahitya Academy said

Kalarekhalu is a socio-autobiographical novel based on the Telangana struggle against the imperialist regime. The novel is unique in its picturization of the struggle of suppressed humanity. The author has successfully captured the sentiments of populace in the threos of liberating themselves. The novel adds magnificently to Indian fiction in telugu

.