Vambamanal

About the book

The novel centered on Tamil fisherwomen activism captures the fierce spirit of a coastal woman. Fisherwomen have historically stood at the forefront of environmental and livelihood struggles, as powerful organizers who mobilize their communities against industrial fishing trawlers, coastal land grabs, post-tsunami rehabilitation injustices, and environmental degradation threatening their way of life. The novel explores how these women, who are the backbone of fishing economies transform their intimate knowledge of the sea into political resistance. It depicts their collective strength as they confront government apathy, corporate exploitation, and patriarchal structures both within their communities and in broader society. Through vivid storytelling, the narrative illuminates the intersections of gender, caste, class, and ecology in coastal Tamil Nadu, showing how fisherwomen's activism is rooted in survival, dignity, and an ancestral connection to the ocean. This book has bagged the first prize in 'Pennezhuthu Potti' Competition 2025, under the Best Environmental Literature category.

About the author

Penniyam Selvakumari is a distinguished author, publisher, and editor whose doctoral research focused on the transgender community. She has authored several poetry collections and numerous research papers. Her acclaimed poetry anthologies include 'Penniyam Pesugiren' (I Speak Feminism), 'Aga Thee' (Inner Fire), 'Karainthazhum Kadal' (The Dissolving Sea), and 'Kamathupalum Haikkoovum' (Kamathupaal and Haiku). She serves as co-editor of the Tamil Nenjam magazine based in France. An active social and environmental advocate, she has been honored with multiple awards recognizing both her literary contributions and social activism.