Almost four hours after he learnt that he was the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award for his 2009 novel Korkai, writer Joe D Cruz’s family was oblivious to his achievement. “They don’t really understand what this award means. Right now the people at home, including my children, are probably thinking that appa (himself) is getting a whole lot of extra calls for this time of night,” he said lightly, before adding as an afterthought, “Normally its about problems like fishing lines getting cut and permit issues at the port and I generally sound a little angry when those calls come at this time of night.”
Raised in the fishing hamlet of Uvari in Thoothukudi, Cruz shot to critical acclaim in Tamil literary circles when his novel Korkai was published. His first novel, also dealing with coastal issues, called Aazhi Soozh Ulagu was published in 2005.
“I dislike it when they’re called fishermen. It’s a typecast of sorts and that’s why I call them coastal people,” said the man who has written about catamaran fishermen and pearl divers in his books.
Incidentally, Cruz was waiting to board a flight back to Chennai from Goa, when he heard the news that he had won the prestigious award, “I was shocked and amazed at it. Frankly I never believed that such an award would be given to someone like me,” he admitted.
He only suspended his disbelief when a friend called and confirmed that the announcement had been made officially.