Short version:
Uthaya Sankar SB is a Malaysian author and literary activist
celebrated for his unapologetically bold fiction in Bahasa Malaysia, a language
he masterfully reclaims beyond ethnic boundaries. His short stories – often described
as postmodern, provocative, and politically astute – delve into themes of
marginalisation, religious identity, cultural heritage, and linguistic justice.
Uthaya’s works are often praised for blending elements of folklore, philosophy,
and socio-political critique. A fearless voice in Malaysian literature, Uthaya
is also known for his outspoken stance on minority rights and freedom of
expression. He is the founder of Kavyan, a literary collective committed to
cultivating Bahasa Malaysia literature among Malaysians. Through writing,
public discourse, and grassroots initiatives, Uthaya continues to challenge
mainstream narratives and assert the place of minority stories within the
national imagination.
Longer version:
Uthaya Sankar SB (born 10 June 1972, Taiping,
Perak, Malaysia) is a distinguished Malaysian writer, literary activist, and
media professional whose contributions have significantly shaped contemporary
Malaysian literature. Of Malayali descent, Uthaya’s early education took place
at Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Convent Aulong and later at Sekolah Menengah Darul
Ridwan and Sekolah Menengah King Edward VII in Taiping. He pursued higher
education at the University of Malaya, where he completed both a Bachelor of
Arts and a Master of Arts in literature, underpinning his lifelong engagement
with letters and scholarship.
Uthaya began
his literary career in the early 1990s, publishing poetry, short stories, and
essays that appeared in major Malaysian newspapers, magazines, and anthologies.
His work is widely recognised for its daring exploration of language, identity,
cultural history, and socio-political themes. Over more than three decades, he
has authored over thirty books, including Siru Kambam, Pulau
Pendatang, The Painted Cat, and
Bhagavad
Gita in Bahasa Malaysia. Uthaya’s creative repertoire also
encompasses translations, children’s literature, and works that engage
classical South Asian epics and traditions.
Beyond his
publications, Uthaya is the founder of Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan Writers’ Group), founded
in 1999 and later established as Pertubuhan Sasterawan Kaum India (Kavyan) to
promote Bahasa Malaysia literature among Malaysian Indian writers and the
broader literary community. Under his leadership, Kavyan achieved national
recognition, including a record-setting 96-hour continuous short story recital
(Baca Cerpen Kavyan) in 2003. His roles have extended into media practice and
education, including a long tenure at Radio Televisyen Malaysia as Bahasa
Malaysia news editor and broadcaster, and lecturing positions at several
tertiary institutions. Since 2011, Uthaya has operated as a freelance writer,
editor, and media consultant.
Uthaya’s literary excellence has
been acknowledged through numerous awards, such as the Hadiah Sastera Perdana
Malaysia, multiple national short story prizes, the Universal Peace
Federation’s Ambassador for Peace Award, and the Saraswati Samman conferred by
the Hindusthan Art & Music Society. His work often provokes public
discourse, reflecting his commitment to linguistic justice, cultural plurality,
and freedom of expression. Uthaya continues to reside in Shah Alam, Selangor,
where he remains active as a writer, workshop facilitator, columnist, and
cultural commentator.
More information:
“He would do well as a stand-up comedian.” – Daphne Lee, The Star, 19 June 2011
"The man behind Malaysia's interfaith tours." - Jennifer Pak, BBC News, 22 October 2013
"... the elusive, almost inconspicuous Uthaya Sankar SB, a man small in frame, large in intellect and conspicuous in his humility. ... gem of an authority on Malaysia’s national language." – Cine Fashion, April 2011
Uthaya Sankar SB is a Malaysian writer who writes in Bahasa Malaysia which he regards as his mother tongue.
"Many found his literary talents amazing." - Beboshini Unni, Malaysian Digest, 23 October 2013.
“I greatly admire Malaysian writers like Uthaya Sankar SB and Gina Yap Lai Yoong who write in BM; they are able to express themselves in a way that isn’t available to me.” – Sharmilla Ganesan, The Star, 4 September 2016
Many assume that he grew up in a Malay environment and that is the reason he can write and speak Bahasa Malaysia well. But that is far from the truth. He grew up in a village (Aulong Lama in Taiping, Perak) where the majority were Indians and there were only two Malay families. (theSun, 16 July 2009)
Sumati Muniandy (New Straits Times, 18 October 2016) recalls: “I asked famous writer Uthaya Sankar SB the secret of his ability to write in Bahasa Malaysia and English. He eloquently told me that his passion for reading is the ultimate secret for his successful career and he managed to carve a name in the writing industry.”
Uthaya’s criticisms of Tamil literature in Malaysia entitled “What Tamil Writers?” (New Straits Times, 11 February 2004) drew a response from R Karthigesu; and his article was aptly translated to Tamil for the benefit of Malaysian Tamil writers!
“Uthaya Sankar SB is a novelist and activist actively writing and campaigning for religious freedom and social justice in Malaysia.” – Article 19 (24 January 2014)
“Uthaya is truly one of the rare few who lovingly treats Bahasa Malaysia as his mother tongue. It is hard to come by such talented Malaysian writers. Uthaya is one of them without a doubt,” says Sukhbir Cheema @ Cassius Ribhkus, the co-editor of Eksentrika, a content website dedicated to inspire, showcase and promote creative talents in Malaysia.
[Please CLICK HERE to read some of the articles in English]
This trilingual writer shifted to Klang, Selangor in 1991 before settling in Shah Alam, Selangor in 2000. He studied in Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Convent Aulong, Sekolah Menengah Darul Ridwan, Sekolah Menengah King Edward VII, Jabatan Pengajian Media, Universiti Malaya and Jabatan Persuratan Melayu, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Uthaya lectured Bahasa Malaysia, Moral Education and Malaysian Studies in various colleges from 1999 to 2008, including in International College of Music (ICOM), HELP Institute, Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology(LICT), The One Academy, Yamaha Academy of Arts & Music, Prime College USJ, MSC International College, Summit International College, SEGi College Subang Jaya, SIT International College and Optima College.
Between 1996 and 2009, he was also attached to Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) as Bahasa Malaysia news editor, newscaster, newspaper reviewer and coordinator of the RTM Disaster Unit. He was also appointed news content editor at Bernama Radio24 in 2008.
He has won many awards, namely Hadiah Cerpen Maybank-DBP (1992, 1993 & 1996), Hadiah Sastera Utusan-Public Bank (1993), Hadiah Cerpen Esso-Gapena (1996), Hadiah Sastera Perdana Malaysia (1996/97 and 1998/99) and Hadiah Sastera Kumpulan Utusan-ExxonMobil (2003).
Uthaya was also awarded Ambassador for Peace by the Universal Peace Federation in 2008 for his contribution towards peace, understanding and unity through writing. He was also appointed in the Special Panel to ammend Interlok (Student Edition) in 2011.
Uthaya edited Vanakam (USSB: 2002), an anthology of Bahasa Malaysia short stories by Malaysian Indian writers. Malaiur Manikam (2015) is his collection of essays.
[Updated version -- HERE]
Uthaya is the founder president of Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan Writers’ Group) since August 1999. Kavyan set a record in The Malaysia Book of Records in 2003 through Baca Cerpen Kavyan, a non-stop Bahasa Malaysia short story recital for 96 hours and 32 minutes. Kavyan was also awarded Anugerah Budayawan Selangor in 2005.
He blogs at www.uthayasb.blogspot.my on a regular basis; mostly in Bahasa Malaysia. Uthaya is also a columnist in Free Malaysia Today, The Malaysian Insider, Projek Dialog and The Malay Mail Online news portals.
Dipika Mukherjee, the author of Thunder Demons (2011) commented on Facebook (11 November 2011): “Uthaya is a writer and social commentator in Malaysia. Worth reading (his blog) for Malaysian issues.”
