Rama Kannabiran

Rama Kannabiran (b. 1943) is one of Singapore's literary pioneers. In a life dedicated to writing for more than half a century, he has enriched Singapore Tamil literature through his novels, short stories, and essays. He is a recipient of the Cultural Medallion.

Born in Ammapettai, India, Kannabiran completed his primary education there before moving to Singapore at the age of 10. In Singapore, he continued his education at McNair Road English School and Raffles Institution. His love for reading developed early, influenced by the bookstore his father established in 1922. This passion for literature eventually led him to begin writing fiction in the late 1950s.

After completing a three-year program at the Teachers' Training College, Kannabiran joined Rosyth Primary School as an English teacher in 1966. He served in this role for 19 years before transitioning to teach Tamil in 1985. During his teaching career, he represented Singapore in the Iowa International Writing Program in 1988, during which he wrote the novella Peedam. After 37 years as an educator, Kannabiran took voluntary retirement in 2002 but continued to write essays and other works.

Kannabiran has penned more than 200 essays, covering topics such as short story appreciation, reviews, and book introductions. Some of his short stories are part of the supplementary curriculum in Singaporean secondary schools, junior colleges, and universities. Some of his works have been broadcast on radio stations in Singapore and Malaysia and translated into English, Malay, and Chinese.

In addition to creative writing, Kannabiran has been deeply engaged in literary activities. His involvement began in 1975 when he was part of the committee organising literary events for Indian writer Akilan's visit to Singapore. He served as an executive member of the Association of Singapore Tamil Writers for two years and was one of the ten founders of the Singapore Ilakkiyak Kalam, a literary forum established in the 1970s. 

Kannabiran contributed to the National University of Singapore Arts Centre as a committee member in the late 1990s and conducted workshops for its Creative Arts Programme from 1996 to 2001. He served on advisory committees of the National Arts Council from 1991 to 2018 and has frequently been a Judge for literary competitions in Singapore.

His published works include collections of fiction and non-fiction, such as Rama Kannabiran Kathaigal 1958-1992 (2021), and an English compilation titled The Writings and Interviews of Rama Kannabiran with His Significant Press Coverages (2023).

Kannabiran's numerous accolades include the National Book Development Council of Singapore’s Book Award (1982), the University of Iowa Honorary Fellow in Writing (1988), the Southeast Asian Write Award (1990), the Mont Blanc Literary Award (1997), and the Singapore Cultural Medallion, the nation’s highest award for artists, in 1998. In 2022, Mediacorp Tamil Seithi honoured him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.



For more information
Our Cultural Medallion Story. “Rama Kannabiran,” Arts House Limited. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://artshouselimited.sg/ourcmstory-recipients/rama-kannabiran 

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.