KOTTAYAM: Malayalam detective fiction writer Kottayam Pushpanath, whose skillful writing and thrilling story plots had people waiting anxiously for the next issue of the leading Malayalam weeklies during the 70s and 80s, is no more. He was 80-years-old. The funeral will be held on Friday.
He had written numerous mainstream novels, science and horror fiction, and translated Bram Stoker's Dracula into Malayalam. A major share of the prolific author's works came out in the 1970s and 1980s.
In the tradition of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, Pushpanath had created two fictional detectives Marx and Pushparaj. If the story is set somewhere in India, Pushparaj often takes the role of the lead detective officer. Otherwise, detective Marx is the protagonist. Detective Sudheer also appears in the lead role in some of his novels. He has written over 300 novels. Kottayam Pushpanath or Pushpanath Pillai used to teach history but quit his job to penning thrilling and intriguing detective novels.
Cardinalinte Maranam, Nepoleante Prathima, Yakshikavu, London Kottarathile Rahasayangal, Brahmarakshas, Tornado, The Murder, Dracula Kotta and Devil's Corner are some of his well-known novels. His novels have been translated into Tamil, Kannada and Telugu. Two of his novels Brahma Rakshas and Chuvanna Angi had been made into films.
His son Salim Pushparaj, who was travel and wildlife photographer had recently passed away. He is survived by his wife Mariamma.