{{Short description|Malayalam writer (1954–2021)}} {{Indian patronymic|Joseph|Thomas}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Thomas Joseph | image = Thomas joseph DSC 0107.resized.JPG | imagesize = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1954|6|8|df=y}} | birth_place = Eloor, Ernakulam district, Kerala, India | death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|07|29|1954|06|08|df=y}} | death_place = Eloor, Ernakulam district, Kerala, India | restingplace = | restingplacecoordinates = | othername = | occupation = Short story writer, Novelist, Journalist | alma mater = | spouse = Rosily | domesticpartner = | children = 2 | parents = {{ublist|Thomas Vadaykkal (father)|Mary Vellayil (mother)}} | website = | awards = {{ubl|2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story|2009 Children's literary institute Award|2003 V. P. Sivakumar Memorial Keli Award|1996 SBT Literary Prize|1995 K. A. Kodungallore Award|Delhi Short Story Award}} }} '''Thomas Joseph''' (8 June 1954 – 29 July 2021) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. He received Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story in 2013 for his work, ''Marichavar Cinema KaanukayaaNu'' (The Dead are Watching Movies). He was also a recipient of SBT Literary Award, Delhi Short Story Award, K. A. Kodungallore Award, V. P. Sivakumar memorial Keli Award and the Children's literary institute Award. He died on 29 July 2021, at the age of 67.
== Biography == Thomas Joseph was born on 8 June 1954, in Eloor, an industrial town in Ernakulam district of the south Indian state of Kerala to Thomas Vadaykkal and Mary Vellayil.<ref name="Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer Thomas Joseph dies at 67">{{Cite web |title=Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer Thomas Joseph dies at 67 |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2021/07/29/writer-thomas-joseph-no-more.html |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=OnManorama}}</ref> He wrote his first short story when he was a 5th standard student and started publishing stories in Malayalam weeklies during his high school and college period. He published his first collection of short stories, ''Athbhuta-samasya'', in 1989. His ''Chitra-salabhangalude Kappal'' (''The Ship of Butterflies''), short stories collection, was awarded the SBT Literary Award in 1996.<ref name="Thomas Joseph - Mathrubhumi Books">{{Cite web |url=https://buybooks.mathrubhumi.com/writer/thomas-joseph/ |title=Thomas Joseph - Mathrubhumi Books |website=buybooks.mathrubhumi.com |access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref> His story "Athbhuta-samasya", was published in the magazine ''Saketam'', under the editorialship of Narendra Prasad and V. P. Sivakumar. He published eight books, which include six collections of short stories.<ref name="Writer Thomas Joseph seeks help for treatment">{{Cite web |url=https://english.manoramaonline.com/districts/ernakulam/2018/09/27/writer-thomas-joseph-treatment-aid.html |title=Writer Thomas Joseph seeks help for treatment |website=OnManorama |language=en |access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref>
== Death == Thomas Joseph worked at ''Chandrika'' and ''Indian Express'' daily newspapers and in Pen books. Towards the latter part of his life, he resided at Keezhmad, Aluva and it was here, he suffered a massive stroke while asleep on 15 September 2018, due to which he was admitted to Rajagiri hospital in Kalamassery. Due to limited financial resources, his family could not afford the expenses of the medical treatment and his friends and fellow writers resorted to crowd funding to raise the required money.<ref name="അബോധാവസ്ഥയിലായ എഴുത്തുകാരന് തോമസ് ജോസഫിനെ സഹായിക്കണം- ഫെയ്സ്ബുക്ക് പോസ്റ്റുമായി ബെന്യാമിന്">{{Cite web |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/books/news/benyamin-facebook-post-seeking-help-for-writer-thomas-joseph-who-suffering-brain-trauma-1.3938133 |title=അബോധാവസ്ഥയിലായ എഴുത്തുകാരന് തോമസ് ജോസഫിനെ സഹായിക്കണം- ഫെയ്സ്ബുക്ക് പോസ്റ്റുമായി ബെന്യാമിന് |website=Mathrubhumi |date=8 July 2019 |language=en |trans-title=Please help the write in a coma - Benyamin's facebook post |access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="Book comes to the rescue for its ailing writer, Thomas Joseph">{{Cite web |date=2019-08-09 |title=Book comes to the rescue for its ailing writer, Thomas Joseph |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/book-to-succour-ailing-writer/article28918874.ece |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}</ref> Though later discharged, he stayed in a coma for around three years before his death at his home on 29 July 2021, aged 67.<ref>{{Cite web|title=കഥാകൃത്ത് തോമസ് ജോസഫ് അന്തരിച്ചു|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/latest-news/2021/07/29/writer-thomas-joseph-passed-away.html|access-date=29 July 2021|website=www.manoramaonline.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=കഥാകൃത്ത് തോമസ് ജോസഫ് അന്തരിച്ചു {{!}} writer Thomas Joseph died|url=https://www.asianetnews.com/kerala-news/writer-thomas-joseph-died-qx0ese|access-date=29 July 2021|website=www.asianetnews.com}}</ref>
== Awards and honors == Thomas Joseph received Mrigaya magazine's ‘Mrigaya Award-1984’ through the Readers’ Gallup poll {{citation needed|date=January 2025}}. He was also the recipient of Delhi Short Story Award, K. A. Kodungallore Award (1995), V. P. Sivakumar memorial Keli Award (2003) and the Children's literary institute Award (2009).<ref name="Writer Thomas Joseph dead">{{Cite web |date=2021-07-29 |title=Writer Thomas Joseph dead |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/writer-thomas-joseph-dead/article35615436.ece |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="Writer Thomas Joseph passes away">{{Cite web |title=Writer Thomas Joseph passes away |url=https://englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com/books/books-news/malayalam-writer-obituary-1.5868365 |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=Mathrubhumi |date=29 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ചെറുകഥകളുടെ സാഹിത്യകാരന്റെ ജീവിതം ഒരു ദുരന്ത കഥ! അക്കാദമി അവാർഡ് ജേതാവിനെ സഹായിക്കണമെന്ന് അഭ്യർഥിച്ച് സാഹിത്യകാരൻമാർ">{{Cite web |url=https://www.vanitha.in/justin/thomas-joseph-writer-special-story.html |title=ചെറുകഥകളുടെ സാഹിത്യകാരന്റെ ജീവിതം ഒരു ദുരന്ത കഥ! അക്കാദമി അവാർഡ് ജേതാവിനെ സഹായിക്കണമെന്ന് അഭ്യർഥിച്ച് സാഹിത്യകാരൻമാർ |website=vanitha.in |trans-title=The life story of a short story writer, a tragedy |access-date=11 July 2019}}</ref> His short story collection, ''Marichavar cinema kaaNukayaaNu'' (''The Dead are Watching Movies'') received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3065:aboutkerala-literary-awards&Itemid=2379 |title=Literary Awards |publisher=Kerala.gov.in |access-date=13 May 2015}}</ref><ref name="Malayalam novelist, short-story writer Thomas Joseph passes away">{{Cite web |title=Malayalam novelist, short-story writer Thomas Joseph passes away |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/jul/29/malayalam-novelist-short-story-writer-thomas-joseph-passes-away-2337333.html |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
== Bibliography == === Novels === * {{Cite book |first=Thomas |last=Joseph |title=Ammayude Udaram Adachu |publisher=Vayanappura Publications |year=2019 |isbn=9788193773574 |location=Kochi |page=264 |language=ml}} * {{Cite book |last=Thomas Joseph |title=Paralōka vāsasthalaṅgaḷ |publisher=DC Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-81-264-4884-5 |location=Kottayam |page=143 |oclc=878813280}}
=== Short story anthologies === * {{Cite book |last1=Jōsaph |first1=Tōmas |title=Paippinchuvaṭṭil Moonnu Str̲eekaḷ |publisher=Green Books |year=2016 |isbn=978-81-8423-505-0 |location=Thrissur, [Kerala] |page=88 |oclc=987157312}} * {{Cite book |first=Thomas |last=Joseph |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/206352 |title=Pashuvumaayi Nadakkunna Oraal |publisher=Current Books |year=2002 |location=Thrissur, [Kerala]}} * {{Cite book |first=Thomas |last=Joseph |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/111734 |title=Paraloka vasasthalangal |publisher=DC Books |year=2013 |location=Kottayam, India}} * {{Cite book |first=Thomas |last=Joseph |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/83097 |title=Atbhutha samasya |publisher=Bansuri Books |year=1988 |location=Aluva, Kerala}} * {{Cite book |first=Thomas |last=Joseph |url=https://buybooks.mathrubhumi.com/product/oru-irunda-sasyamayi-chuttippinanju/ |title=Oru Irunda Sasyamaay Chuttippinanju (ഒരു ഇരുണ്ട സസ്യമായി ചുറ്റിപ്പിണഞ്ഞ്) |publisher=Mathrubhumi Books |location=Kochi |pages=64 |language=en-US}} * {{Cite book |first=Thomas |last=Joseph |title=Marichavar Cinema Kanukayanu |location=Kochi |language=ml}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{Cite web |title=വര ശലഭങ്ങൾ തോമസ് ജോസഫിനുവേണ്ടി ചിറകു വീശുമ്പോൾ |url=https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/news/features/bonny-thomas-on-illustrating-thomas-joseph-novel-ammayude-udaram-adachu-293085/ |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=Indian Express Malayalam |language=ml-IN}}
== External links == * {{Cite web |url=https://sanghamam.com/kerala/help-writer-thomas-joseph.html |title=ജീവിതമെന്ന അത്ഭുത സമസ്യയുടെ പൊരുൾ തേടിയ ഒരാൾ |website=sanghamam.com |trans-title=A Man who Searched for the Meaning of the Puzzle that is Life |access-date=13 July 2019}} * {{Cite web |title=Thomas Joseph on Malayalam Books |url=https://buybooks.mathrubhumi.com/writer/thomas-joseph/ |access-date=2021-07-30 |website=buybooks.mathrubhumi.com}} * {{Cite news |agency=TNN|date=Jul 30, 2021 |title=Kochi writer Thomas Joseph dead - Kochi News - Times of India |language=en |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/kochi-writer-thomas-joseph-dead/articleshow/84879973.cms |access-date=2021-08-02}}
{{Malayalam Literature|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joseph, Thomas}} Category:1954 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Writers from Kerala Category:People from Aluva Category:Writers from Ernakulam district Category:20th-century Indian short story writers Category:20th-century Indian novelists Category:Malayali people Category:Malayalam-language novelists Category:Malayalam short story writers Category:Indian male novelists Category:Indian male short story writers Category:21st-century Indian novelists Category:21st-century Indian short story writers