The Government of Kerala set up the Kerala State Institute for Children’s Literature in the year 1981. The institute, functioning within the premises of the Sanskrit College, Thiruvananthapuram, in under the Department of Culture. This is the only institute of its kind in the country.
The institute released its first book, Nambooryachanum Manthravum, by a well-known writer P. Narendranath in 1981.
Several prominent writers also write books specifically for children too. The works of these authors like T. Padmanabhan, Madhavikutty, Zachariah, N. P. Muhammed, C. V. Sreeraman and Sethu have been published by the Institute.
The Institute also takes the initiative to publish classics from India and abroad, taking care to keep them as close to the original as possible, in content and style. These include Mahahbaratha, Panchathantra , Katha sarith sagaram, Tales from the Arabian Nights, etc.
There is also a series series to introduce the legendary figures of Indian painting such as Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy, Amritha Shergil, M. F. Hussain etc. to children.
Institute also publishes a children's magazine titled Thaliru.
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