Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
M. K. Sanu
Indian writer (1928–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
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.
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]
Remove ads
Background
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
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]
Remove ads
Recognition
- 2011 – Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for the biography "Basheer: Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan"[7]
- 2011 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (other category literature) for overall contributions[8]
- 2012 – Pavanan foundation India's Award for 2011 for his Autobiography "Karmagathi"
- 2013 – Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary honour given by the Kerala government[9]
- 2013 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award for Overall Contribution (T. K. Ramakrishnan Award)[10]
- 2014 – Father Vadakkan Puraskaram[11]
- 2015 – P. Kesavadev Literary Award[12]
- 2020 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (other category literature) (Sakti Erumeli Award) for Kesari Oru Kaalaghattathinte Srishtaavu[13]
- 2021 – Chavara Samskruthy Puraskar by Chavara Cultural Centre
- 2022 – D.Litt. by Mahatma Gandhi University[14]
Works
 |
Autobiography
- Karmagathi – 2010
Children's literature
Criticism
Interpretations
Travelogues
Biographies
Memoirs
Collected essays
Translations
Edited works
Remove ads
Controversies
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 pressurized 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]
Remove ads
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads