Vrindavanam Venugopalan (24 October 1935 – 25 December 2009) was an Indian journalist, educationist and writer who wrote in both Malayalam and English. Venugopalan was the editor of ''Viswakeralam Daily'', and an acclaimed biographer. He was also known as a pioneer in the

family planning Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marit ...

movement from its beginnings in Kerala in 1957. He published articles in leading newspapers on various subjects.

Educational Background

Venugopalan completed his Intermediate from Sree Narayana College, Kollam joined the

University College, Trivandrum University College, Thiruvananthapuram, often abbreviated as UCT, is a public college situated in Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Established in 1866, it is one of the oldest colleges in Kerala. The college has been accorded "College with Pot ...

and passed his B.A. (Hons) Degree with Distinction in 1960. Subsequently, he took his Masters Degree in English and Sociology from

University of Kerala University of Kerala (formerly known as University of Travancore) is a state-run public university in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Chithi ...

, He passed his

BEd A bed is a piece of furniture that is used as a place to sleep, rest, and relax. Most modern beds consist of a soft, cushioned mattress on a bed frame. The mattress rests either on a solid base, often wood slats, or a sprung base. Many beds ...

Degree with Gold Medal from Government Training College,

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...

and

MEd MED or med may refer to: Healthcare * Medical extrication device, a device for extricating an injured patient from an accident site, such as the Kendrick extrication device * Medication, often used in the plural "meds" * Medicine (or medical) * ...

Degree from

. He underwent training in Extension Education, Audio-Visual Education,

Mass Communication Mass communication is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media to large population segments. It utilizes various forms of media as technology has made the dissemination of information more efficient. Primary examples o ...

Adult Education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained educating activities in order to gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralph G. ''The Pr ...

Family Planning Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marit ...

As a Journalist

He was a frequent contributor to many dailies from 1950's. He started a

Manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...

Monthly 'Vrindavanam' in 1952 from which he got his pen name Vrindavanam Venugopalan. He started another weekly 'Vidhyarthilokam' the same year. Great people like Mayyanad K. Damodaran B.A. appreciated his writings in this periodicals at that time. Later he worked with the Kaumudi Daily of K. Balakrishnan and the Pothujanam Eve Daily. He was Chief Editor of Prathichaya and was Mg. Editor of Viswakeralam Daily from 1980 to 1990. He was also Kerala Convenor of All India Small Newspapers Association.

Government Service

Venugopalan started his career as a Clerk in the Health Services, Assistant in the Home Department of Govt Secretariat. Translator in National Employment Service, High School Teacher, Extension Educator in ESI Corporation, Trichur; F.P. Education Officer (FPAI); State Organizer of Association for Social Health and Moral Hygiene; He was also teacher in

Government Victoria College, Palakkad The Government Victoria College in Palakkad is an institution of higher learning in the Malabar region of Kerala. It is affiliated to the Calicut University and provides undergraduate and postgraduate education in science, arts and commerce su ...

He contested to the

General Elections A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections ...

of 1965 to State Assembly as a Candidate from Trivandrum I Constituency having resigned the high post of State Health Educator (Senior Gazetted) of Family Planning Communication Research in the

Writer

Venugopalan had published books in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

and English on different subjects. His books on

were highly commended by experts in the field. His biographies had a new style of narration which was new to the literary field. Some of his books were brought out with the forewords of Literary Magnete Dr.

Sooranad Kunjan Pillai Sooranad Payikkattu Neelakanta Kunjan Pillai (24 June 1911 8 March 1995) was an Indian researcher, lexicographer, poet, essayist, literary critic, orator, grammarian, educationist, and scholar of the Malayalam language, best remembered for his ...

, Dr. P.K. Narayana Pillai ( Vice-Chancellor, Sree Sankara University,

Kalady Kalady or Kaladi is a town located between Angamaly and Perumbavoor, east of the Periyar river, near to Malayattoor in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India, not far from Cochin International Airport. It is notable as the birthplace of 9th ce ...

) Dr. C.O. Karunakaran, R. Ramachandran Nair I.A.S. and one of his book Communication Materials on

was brought out with a preface of the then Prime Minister Madam

Indira Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and stateswoman who served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 un ...

. His biography on

K. Karunakaran Kannoth Karunakaran (5 July 191823 December 2010) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the chief minister of Kerala in 1977, from 1981 to March 1982, from May 1982 to 1987 and from 1991 to 1995. He is the founder of the Indian ...

was well received among masses.

Books

* Kalayum Kavyavum – Literary Criticism, (1963) * Swapnamgal – Short Stories (1963) * Indulekhayum Saradayum – A Study (1964) * Kutumbasamvidhanatinu Mumbu – Essays on F.P. (1964) * Alankara Samskhepam – Gist of Poetics (1966) * Vritha Samgraham – Prosody (1966) * Laghu Vyakaranam – Grammar (1967) * Pracharanopadhikal – Essays on F.P. (1969) * Communication Materials on F.P. – (1969) * Vishadangale Vida – Essays on F.P. (1979) * K.P. Vallon Smaranika – Biography (1981) * Thrimanan – Study on Bureaucracy (1986) * Abudabi – Novel (1986) * Gandeevam – Biography (1986) * K. Karunakaran – Biography (1992) * Y.S. Raja Reddy – Biography (1992) * Gateway to English Grammar (1994)

References

* 2
Congressfans article
* 4
Kerala: Webster's Timeline History, 52 – 2007
* 6
Politics of Congress Factionalism in Kerala since 1982
(Mentioned in Bibliography) * 7

*

* 9

* 1

{{DEFAULTSORT:Venugopalan, Vrindavanam 1935 births 2009 deaths 20th-century Indian essayists Malayalam-language writers Malayalam-language journalists Journalists from Kerala Academic staff of Government Victoria College, Palakkad Writers from Kollam 20th-century Indian novelists 20th-century Indian biographers 20th-century Indian short story writers 20th-century Indian linguists 20th-century Indian journalists Novelists from Kerala