Parakkulathil Vatsala (28 August 1939 – 21 November 2023) was an Indian Malayalam novelist, short story writer, and social activist from Kerala. She received the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram in 2021, which is the highest literary honor by the government of Kerala. She is only the fifth woman to receive the award since its institution in 1993. Vatsala also won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel "Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal" (The Paths where Shadows Sleep). She has written over 25 collections of short stories and 17 novels, and is renowned for her distinct writing style. Her works have received several awards, including the Kumkumam Award for "Nellu" published in 1972, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for "Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal," the Muttathu Varkey Award, and the C. V. Kunhiraman Memorial Sahitya Award. A former headmistress, Vatsala also served as the Chairperson of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi. She was associated with PuKaSa, a left-leaning cultural movement, but lately, she had been supportive of Hindu right-wing organizations.