Sandilyan

Sandilyan
Born	Bhashyam Iyengar 10 November 1910 Thirukovilur, Tamil nadu, India
Died	September 11, 1987(1987-09-11) (aged 76)
Occupation	Novelist, essayist
Nationality	Indian
Education	college – St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli
Period	1930–
Genres	Tamil Historic Fiction, Tamil Social Fiction
Notable works	Kadal Pura, Yavana Rani, Mannan Magal
Spouse	Ranganayaki
Children	Sadagopan
Relatives	Sean Roldan (grandson)

Sandilyan or Chandilyan (Tamil: சாண்டில்யன்) is the Pen name of Bhashyam Iyengar, a noted Tamil writer of historical fiction. He is known for his historical romance and adventure novels, often set in the times of the Chola and Pandya empires.

Sandilyan was born in Thirukovilur, Tamil Nadu on 10 November 1910 to Ramanujam Iyengar and Poongovilvalli. His family was from Thiruindalur village near Mayiladuthurai. He did his schooling in Chennai Pachaiyappa's School and Saidapet Model School. His college education came from Tiruchirappalli St. Joseph's College. While in college, he was influenced by the visit of C. Rajagopalachari and joined the Indian independence movement. He became a member of the Indian National Congress. He married Ranganayaki in 1929.

After finishing college he moved to T. Nagar in the 1930s. He became friends with his neighbours V.Swaminatha Sharma who was working in Thiru. Vi. Ka's weekly magazine Navasakthi and the noted Tamil writer Kalki Krishnamurthy. With their encouragement he wrote his first short story titled Shantha Seelan. Impressed with his work, Kalki published his short stories like Kannammavin Kadhal, Adhirshtam in Ananda Vikatan. Encouraged by this success Sandilyan started learning the Tamil language formally from a Tamil Pandit named Thirukannapuram Srinivachariar. He started writing Tamil short stories in the Tamil Weekly Sudesamithran and also worked as a reporter in Sudesamithran from 1935 to 1942. Later he became a sub-editor at the English daily newspaper Hindustan Times.

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