Sreedharan Champad is circus artist, circus historian and Malayalam language writer from Kerala, India. He has worked in a number of fields, including working as circus manager, flying trapeze artist, circus company PRO, auto driver, bill collector, journalist and writer.[3] Champad has written over 20 books including novels, more than 100 short stories, biographies and articles.[4] His book An Album of Indian Big Tops chronicles the history of circus industry in India from 1880 to 2010.

Sreedharan Champad
BornP. K. Sreedharan[1]
1938 (age 85–86)[2]
Champad, Kannur district, British India
Occupationcircus artist, circus historian, writer
Notable worksAn Album of Indian Big Tops: (History of Indian Circus)
Notable awardsKerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions
SpouseValsala
Children4

Biography edit

Sreedharan was born in 1938 at Champad near Thalassery, Kannur district to Kunjikannan and Narayani. After passing tenth class, he joined Devagiri College, Kozhikode, but due to financial constraints he dropped his study and gone to Madras.[3] In 1956, he joined the Great Rayman circus in Howrah as office clerk and later became a trapeze artiste at the circus.[5] Sreedharan was also an expert trapeze player in circuses such as Jumbo, Gemini, Amar and Great Raymond.[6] In 1961, while at Chengalpet, he temporarily left circus field, when the Great Eastern Circus rejected him to go with its Malaysian tour.[3] After studying automobile engineering in Madras for two years, he worked as a diesel mechanic in the Madras State Transport Corporation for six months.[3] After that he worked as an auto driver in Kozhikode for some time.[3] Sridharan also served as the Editor-in-Chief of Padayani Weekly published from Thalassery, Padayani News Editor and Jagannath Magazine Editor.[7] He has also worked as a correspondent for Kaumudi News Service for 5 years.[4]

"Ring Boy" published in Mathrubhumi Weekly in 1964 was his first story.[8] His first novel Anyonyamthedi nadannavarwas published in Mathrubhumu weekly in 1977.[8] Champad is currently working on a new novel on the socio - cultural context of Panoor and its environs since 1947.[3]

He resides at his house Srivastsa at Pathayakunnu, Pattiam in Kannur district.[9]

Family edit

He and his wife Valsala have four children.[4]

Contributions edit

Literary contributions edit

  • Champad, Sreedharan (September 2013). An Album of Indian Big Tops: (History of Indian Circus). Strategic Book Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62212-766-5.. This book chronicles the history of circus industry in India from 1880 to 2010.
  • Champad, Sreedharan (2012). Thamp Paranja Jeevitham. Kottayam: DC Books. ISBN 978-81-264-3901-0. OCLC 833631326.(autobiography)
  • Sarkkasinte lokam (Meaning: world of circus)[4]
  • Keeleri, Biography of Keeleri Kunjikannan[6]
  • C. V. Narayanan Nair[6]
  • Raktham Chinthiyavar[6]
  • Anyonyam Thedi Nadannavar[3]
  • Komali[3]
  • Ring[3]
  • Koodaram[3]
  • Antharam[3]
  • Arangettam Circus Kathakal[6]
  • Clint[3]
  • Thacholi Othenan[3]
  • Payyampally Chanthu[3]
  • Aromal Chekavar[3]
  • Unniyarcha[3]
  • Thamp[3]
  • Mela, this was later made into a Malayalam movie[4]
  • Athippara[3]
  • Utharaparvvam[3]
  • Mahacharithamala123[3]
  • Gurudevakathamrutham[3]

Cinema edit

He has been instrumental in the background of films like Thampu, Mela, Aaravam, Kummatty, Apoorva Sahodarangal, Joker and Bhumimalayalam.[3] He is also the author of the Malayalam documentaries named Circus and Cirus Lokam (Circus World) broadcast by Doordarshan.[10]

Awards and honors edit

References edit

  1. ^ admin (14 October 2017). "ശ്രീധരന്‍. പി.കെ. ചമ്പാട്". Keralaliterature.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  2. ^ Dutt, Kartik Chandra (1999). Who's who of Indian Writers, 1999: A-M. Sahitya Akademi. p. 210. ISBN 978-81-260-0873-5.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "തമ്പിന്റെ കഥാകാരൻ". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam).
  4. ^ a b c d e "ശ്രീധരൻ ചമ്പാട്". M3DB.COM (in Malayalam).
  5. ^ "The Circus Has Left the Town - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e Daily, Keralakaumudi. "മമ്മൂട്ടി @ 70, ആദ്യ സിനിമയുടെ കഥാകാരൻ ഇവിടെയുണ്ട്". Keralakaumudi Daily. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  7. ^ "ശ്രീധരൻ ചമ്പാട്‌". മാതൃഭൂമി ബുക്സ്. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b "ശ്രീധരൻ ചമ്പാട്: സർക്കസ് കഥകളുടെ കുലപതി". 15 April 2018.
  9. ^ "'മേള'യുടെ ഓർമയിൽ മേളയെത്തുന്നു". Deshabhimani (in Malayalam).
  10. ^ "books.puzha.com - Author Details". 14 February 2016. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016.
  11. ^ "വാഗ്ഭടാനന്ദ പ്രതിഭാ പുരസ്‌കാരം ശ്രീധരന്‍ ചമ്പാടിന് സമ്മാനിച്ചു". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 23 January 2022.