Friends join hands to publish work of bedridden writer

 Friends of writer and journalist Thomas Joseph, who has been bedridden following brain haemorrhage last year, have come forward to help him by publishing his latest work.
Thomas Joseph
Thomas Joseph

KOCHI:  Friends of writer and journalist Thomas Joseph, who has been bedridden following brain haemorrhage last year, have come forward to help him by publishing his latest work. The novel, ‘Ammayude Udaram’, will be released at a function to be attended by eminent personalities from the literary field at Ente Bhumi Art Centre here on Sunday. Joseph has worked in various newspaper publications and written many books during his career. He was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 2013. 

Joseph suffered stroke on September 15, 2018, and he underwent two surgeries in the last one year. Around Rs 30 lakh is required for his further treatment. “The family members are struggling to meet his medical expenses. Various events were organised in recent months to raise funds for his treatment. A play was also staged in Kochi for the purpose.

Recently, we came to know that Joseph had completed a novel before being hospitalised. Vayanapura Publications has agreed to publish it,” said C K Hassan Koya, a former journalist and a close friend of Joseph. Vayanapura, which has decided to meet all the publishing expenditure, will dedicate the entire profit from the sale of the books to meet Joseph’s medical expenses. 

There are 28 chapters in the book and each one contains illustrations by cartoonist Bony Thomas. The illustrations will be exhibited at the book release venue and the fund raised from the sale of the paintings will be given to Joseph.

A resident of Eloor, Joseph has been active in the literary field since the 1970s. Anthologies of short stories, ‘Adbhutha Samasya’ and ‘Chitrashalabhangalude Kappal’, are his acclaimed works. He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for his short story collection ‘Marichavar Cinema Kaanukayanu’. 
Writers like N S Madhavan, Benyamin, Rafeeq Ahmed, K R Meera and M Mukundan had come forward for the fundraising campaign.

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