Wikipedia

M. K. Sanu

Mangalath Kesavan Sanu (27 October 1928 – 2 August 2025) was an Indian Malayalam-language writer, critic, academic, biographer, journalist, orator, social activist and human rights activist. He authored at least 36 books.

M. K. Sanu
Born(1928-10-27)27 October 1928
Thumpoly, Kingdom of Travancore, British India
(present-day Alappuzha, Kerala, India)
Died2 August 2025(2025-08-02) (aged 96)
Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Resting placeRavipuram Crematorium
Occupation
  • Writer
  • critic
  • poet
  • biographer
  • journalist
LanguageMalayalam
NationalityIndian
GenrePoetry, essay, biography
SpouseRathnamma
Website
sanumash.com

Sanu was a permanent member of the International Body for Human Rights, as well as the founding member of the Mithram, a school for the mentally handicapped, in Mulanthuruthy, Ernakulam district, Kerala. He was a member of the award selection committee of the Vayalar Ramavarma Literary Award; however, he resigned in September 2019.[1] In 2011, he won the Padmaprabha Literary Award.[2]

Background

edit

Sanu was born on 27 October 1928 in Thumpoly in the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore, as the son of M. P. Kesavan and K. P. Bhavani.[3][4] He died from pneumonia at Amrita Hospital in Ernakulam, on 2 August 2025, at the age of 96.[5][4][6]

Career

edit

In 1955 and 1956, Sanu joined the Sree Narayana College and Maharaja's College as a lecturer.[citation needed] He retired as a professor in 1983. In 1984, he was elected as the President of Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham and the director of Sree Narayana Study Centre, University of Kerala in 1985, followed by an appointment to Sree Narayana Chair, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam in 1997.[citation needed]

In 1987, he was elected as an MLA from Ernakulam Assembly constituency. In 1991, he joined Kumkumam Weekly, Kollam, as the chief editor. He became the elected President of the Vayalar Award Memorial Trust in 2005.[citation needed]

Recognition

edit

Works

edit

Autobiography

edit
  • Karmagathi – 2010 - GreenBooks Publication

Children's literature

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Sree Narayana Gurudevan1983Vivekodayam Printing & Publishing Co.Irinjalakuda
Sree Narayana Guru1999SPCSKottayam
Jeevithasanuvil2007Balasahitya PrakashamEdappally

Criticism

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Kaattum Velichavum1960NBSKottayam
Chakravaalam1962Sahitya Nilayam Publishing HouseKochi
Manninu Manninte Gunam1964VidyartimitramKottayam
Prabhathadarsanam1970Poorna PublicationsKozhikode
Chumarile Chitrangal1971P.K BrothersKozhikode
Rajaveedhi1971NBSKottayam
Avadhaaranam1984DC BooksKottayam
Anubhoothiyude Nirangal1986SPCSKottayam
Athirvarampukalillathe2000SPCSKottayam
Unnathathmakkalude Jeevaraktham2002Mathrubhoomi Publishing Co.Kozhikode
Asaanthiyilninnu Saanthiyilekku2003Current BooksKottayam
Ente Vazhiyampalangal2004Green BooksThrissur
Ezhuthinte Naanarthangal2005Green BooksThrissur
Vimarsanathile Raajasilpi2005Maarar Saahitya PrakaashamKozhikode
Thuranna Jaalakam2006Kavya BooksMavelikkara
Kaavyathathwa Praveshika2008DC BooksKottayam

Interpretations

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Aadhyatma Ramayanam2004Mathrubhoomi Publishing Co.Kozhikode
Sree Maha Bhagavatham2008Green BooksThrissur

Travelogues

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Anubhavangal Prathyaasakal1985Purogamana Kala Sahitya SanghamTrivandrum

Biographies

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Asthamikkatha Velicham1962Poorna PublicationsKozhikode
Narayanaguru Swami1976Vivekodayam Printing & Publishing Co.Iringalakuda
Sahodaran. K. Ayyappan1980DC BooksKottayam
Changampuzha Krishnapilla: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam1988SPCSKottayam
Sahodaran Ayyappan: Oru Kalaghattathinte Silpi1989Sree Narayanaguru Samskara SamitiKollam
Mruthyunjayam Kavyajeevitham1996S.N Chandrika Educational TrustIringalakuda
Parvathy Amma: Asaranarude Amma2000Sree Narayana Sevika SamajamAluva
M Govindan2002DC BooksKottayam
Yukthivaadi M.C Joseph2002Dept. of Cultural Publications, Govt. of KeralaTrivandrum
Basheer: Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan2007DC BooksKottayam
K.C Mamman Mappila2008Kerala Sahitya AkademiThrissur
Manushyathwathinte Margathil2025Green BooksThrissur

Memoirs

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Thaazhvarayile Sandhya: Parts I & II1992DC BooksKottayam
Ivar Lokathe Snehichavar1999Prabhath Book HouseTrivandrum

Collected essays

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Sree Narayana Sandhesam2000Lalu BooksKottayam
Ethra Sokamayam Jeevitham2004Haritham BooksKozhikode

Translations

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Anchu Sastra Nayakanmar (Five Major Scientists)1958Southern Languages Book TrustMadras
Viswasathilek Veendum (Recovery of Faith)1959Southern Languages Book TrustMadras
American Sahityam2000SPCSKottayam
Guide1989Sahitya AkademiNew Delhi

Edited works

edit
WorkYearPublisherPlace
Sahodara Saptati1960Sahodaran Ayyappan Saptati Celebration CommitteeErnakulam
Kumaranasante Kavyaprapancham1974Navodhana SamitiErnakulam
Sahodarante Padyakritikal1981DC BooksKottayam
Sree Narayana Sameeksha1987Sree Narayana Study Centre, University of KeralaTrivandrum
Kusumathinte Kritikal1989DC BooksKottayam
Basheer: Varthamanthinte Bhavi1994Asayam BooksKozhikode
Kudumba Vijnana Kosham1999Maanas FoundationKozhikode
Kochi 20002000Cochin CorporationErnakulam
T.K Ramakrishnan2001CPI (M) Dist. CommitteeErnakulam
Changampuzha: Selected Poems2008Green BooksThrissur
Selected Essays2008Kerala Sahitya AkademiThrissur

Controversies

edit

Sanu resigned from the award selection committee and chairmanship of the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust (VRMT) in September 2019, specifying that he was suffering from health issues. A few days later, during an interview, he clarified the controversy of his resignation from the Trust. Sanu stated that he was being pressurised to select a book[15] which, according to him, scored the least during evaluation. He also said that the piece Nireeshwaran by author V. J. James had scored the highest points in the last stage of the assessment.[1] Later in September 2019, VRMT chose Nireeshwaran by V. J. James for the Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award 2019.[16]

References

edit
  1. 1 2 Venugopal, Minnu (28 September 2019). "Vayalar award row: MK Sanu criticises award selection". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "M K Sanu chosen for Padmaprabha Award". The Times of India. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  3. ↑ www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2022/oct/28/useful-to-society-m-k-sanu-terms-96-years-well-lived-2512378.amp
  4. 1 2 "Malayalam literary critic M K Sanoo passes away". Onmanorama. 2 August 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "പ്രൊഫസർ എം കെ സാനു അന്തരിച്ചു". www.keralavisionnews.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Teacher, author, critic, orator — M K Sanu, distinguished fixture in Kerala's intellectual landscape, dies at 98". The Indian Express. 3 August 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Poets Dominate Sahitya Akademi Awards 2011" (PDF). sahitya-akademi.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "അബുദാബി ശക്തി അവാര്‍ഡ് സമര്‍പ്പണം വ്യാഴാഴ്ച". ePathram. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  9. ↑ "M K Sanu selected for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram". Press Trust of India. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  10. ↑ "അബുദാബി ശക്തി തായാട്ട് പുരസ്കാരങ്ങള്‍ സമ്മാനിച്ചു". Deshabhimani. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "പ്രൊഫ. എം.കെ. സാനുവിന് ഫാ. വടക്കന്‍ സ്മാരകപുരസ്‌കാരം". DC Books. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Kesavadev award". The Hindu. 19 June 2005. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  13. ↑ "എം കെ സാനുവിനും പി രാജീവിനും സി എൽ ജോസിനും അബുദാബി ശക്തി അവാർഡ്‌". Deshabhimani. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "എം കെ സാനുവിനും സ്‌കറിയ സക്കറിയക്കും എംജി ഡി ലിറ്റ്‌". DC Books. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Vayalar award kicks up row; MK Sanu quits trust". The New Indian Express. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "'Nireeshwaran' by J James wins Vayalar Rama Varma Award". The New Indian Express. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M._K._Sanu&oldid=1353923484"