ist ▁and ▁political ▁observer ▁and ▁worked ▁for ▁news ▁publications ▁including ▁The ▁States man ▁and ▁The ▁H indu . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁O . ▁V . ▁V ij ay an ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁at ▁Vil ay an cha ath ano or ▁village ▁in ▁Pal ak k ad ▁district ▁in ▁Ker ala . ▁Born ▁prem ature ▁in ▁the ▁sevent h ▁month , ▁V ij ay an ▁was ▁sick ly ▁from ▁child hood ▁and ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁time ▁conf ined ▁to ▁his ▁room . ▁His ▁father ▁O . ▁Vel uk k ut ty ▁was ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁Mal ab ar ▁Special ▁Police ▁of ▁the ▁erst while ▁Mad ras ▁Province ▁in ▁British ▁India . ▁His ▁young est ▁sister ▁O . ▁V . ▁U sha ▁is ▁a ▁Mal ay al am ▁poet . ▁As ▁a ▁child , ▁V ij ay an ▁was ▁largely ▁homes cho o led . ▁F ormal ▁school ing ▁began ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twelve , ▁when ▁he ▁joined ▁R aja ' s ▁High ▁School , ▁K ott ak kal ▁in ▁Mal ab ar , ▁directly ▁into ▁sixth ▁grade . ▁The ▁inform al ▁education ▁arranged ▁by ▁his ▁father ▁during ▁his ▁abs ente e ▁years ▁was ▁sufficient ▁to ▁keep ▁him ▁at ▁par ▁with ▁his ▁pe ers . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Vel uk k ut ty ▁was ▁transferred ▁and ▁V ij ay an ▁joined ▁the ▁school ▁at ▁K od uv ay ur ▁in ▁Pal ak k ad . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Victoria ▁College ▁in ▁Pal ak