V.J. James writes in Malayalam. Born and brought up in Changanacherry Kerala he currently resides in Thiruvananthapuram. An engineer by profession he worked at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. His debut novel Purappadinte Pusthakam (The Book of Exodus) was awarded the DC Silver Jubilee Award (1999) Malayattoor Prize and Rotary Literary Award. Other awards include the O.V. Vijayan Award and Thikkurissi Award for Anti-Clock and the Thoppil Ravi Award Kerala Bhasha Institute Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Basheer Puraskaram and Vayalar Award for Nireeswaran. The English translation of Chorashasthram was shortlisted for the Atta Galatta Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize. The Malayalam film Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol starring Mohanlal and Meena is an adaptation of his short story 'Pranayopanishath'. Along with six short story collections his major works include Purappadinte Pusthakam (1999) Chorashasthram (2002) Dathapaharam (2005) Leyka (2006) Ottakkaalan Kakka (2013) Nireeswaran (2014) and Anti-Clock(2018). The English translation of Anti-Clock was shortlisted for the JCB Prize for Literature 2021.