SOURCE: NEWSMINUTE

Vimala Menon was the principal of Jawahar Balabhavan, and headed multiple institutes that worked for people with disabilities.

Vimala Menon, beloved writer of children's literature in Malayalam and a known face among writers' gatherings in Kerala, passed away on the evening of Saturday, June 11, at her house in Thiruvananthapuram. She was 76 years old and unwell.

For a number of years, Vimala remained the principal of the Kerala State Jawahar Balabhavan, a chain of institutes in the state that promotes creative talents in children. She wrote in all this time, about 38 books for children. In 1990, she won the state award for best children's literature, for writing Orazhcha (A week). Years later, she also won the SBT Award for her book Mandakini Parayunnathu (What Mandakini says).

Apart from this, she was also the secretary of the Thiruvananthapuram chapter of Chesire Homes, a home for people with disabilities, for 21 years. She was also the principal of the BUDS school in Venganoor, a school for children with mental disabilities from financially poor families.

Vimala was also active in women writers' circles, present for literary gatherings and discussions. Writer Chandramathi wrote a touching post, remembering memorable moments with Vimala Menon. Geetha Nazeer, active in gatherings of women writers and a member of the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat, shared a talk by Vimala after the passing of writer Ashitha in 2019.