Iyyamkode Sreedharan

Iyyamcode Sreedharan (also spelled as Iyyamkode or Iyyamkodu) is a Malayalam language writer from Kerala, India. He is well known in various fields of literature such as travelogue writer, Aattakkatha writer, playwright, poet and biographer. He received several awards including Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for travelogue, Kerala Kalamandalam Mukundaraja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award for outstanding contribution in the field of literature.

Biography

Sreedharan was born on September 4, 1941, in Puthiya veettil House in Iyyamcode near Nadapuram in present-day Kozhikode district of Kerala. His father M. Narayana Kurup was a teacher, poet, painter and sculptor. His mother, M. P. Karthayani Amma, is the sister of M. P. Narayanan Nambiar, a prominent leader of the Karshaka Sangham, a long-time farmers' movement in Kerala. He had his primary education at Nadapuram C.C. UP School. After passing tenth class from Kadathanad Rajas High School in Kozhikode District, he studied ''Kathakali chamayam'' (makeup of Kathakali artists) for three years at the Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthy. In 1961, he joined Kollankode Rajas High School in Palakkad district as a teacher in ''Kathakali chamayam'' and later became a descendant of poet P. Kunhiraman Nair, who was a colleague there.

Sreedharan started writing poems at the age of fifteen. In 1962, he won the first prize in the Mathrubhumi Weekly poetry competition for students. Subsequently, in 1964, he was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Samithi Poetry Award. He brought together theatre artists from Kollengode and the surrounding areas, and formed a theater troupe in 1975 and performed plays all over Kerala.

He was instrumental in establishing the ''P. Smaraka Kalakendram'' (P. Memorial Art Center) at Kollengode in In 1981, in memory of the poet P. Kunhiraman Nair. Iyyamcode has been the secretary of the art centre for the last forty years. In 1988, when he was the secretary of the Kerala Kalamandalam, he formed a Kathakali group named ''Kerala Kalabhavan'' and wrote three aattakkathas including 'Kinglier', and performed in many stages including in foreign countries.

Iyankode Sreedharan, who has been one of the directors of the Kerala Institute of Children's Literature held several other positions including member of the Kerala Sahitya Samithi and the Vice President of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi for seven years and was the state secretary of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangh, a group of progressive literary activists. He represented India in World Ramayana Festival.

Personal life

He and his wife Komalavalli have 3 children. His daughter S. K. Kavitha is a Malayalam language poet. They lives in their house 'Sakalya' in Vattekatte near Kollengode in Palakkad district.

Literary works

Poetry collection

*''Mulakinkodi''
*''Njattu Paattu''
*''Perumbara''
*''Jaya He''
*''Sakshi Mozhi''
*''Patiyirangunna Daivam''
*''Sangha Ganam''
*''Njan Itha Padunnu Veendum''

Short story collection

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*''Thalam Thettiya Kalaasangal''

Novels

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*
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*''Vadamallika''
*''Appunni''

Memoirs

* Memoirs about V. K. N.
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*
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*''Varna Renukkal''
*''Mayil Peelikal''
*''Ormayile Mandasmeram''
*''Ornmayile Madhuryam''

Essays and studies

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*''Kochukochu Varthamanangal''
*''Snehadarasamanwitham''

Dance Dramas

*''Malanadu''
*''Kavikal Paadiya Keralam''

Biographies

* Biography of Changampuzha Krishna Pillai
* Biography of Vallathol Narayana Menon
* Biography of P. Kunhiraman Nair
* Biography of Kunchan Nambiar
* Based on life of Sukumar Azhikode
* Based on life of Cherukad
*''Swapnadanam''. based on life of P. Kunhiraman Nair

Plays

*''Ore vargam Ore margam''
*''Ithile''
*''Padayottam''

Aattakkathas

*''Manava Vijayam''
*''Sneha Sandesam''
*''King lier'', adaptation of William Shakespeare's play King Lear

Studies and research

*

Travelogues

*''King Lierinte Europyan Sanchara Padangal''
* In this book, Ramayana from fourteen countries of the world including Uzbekistan, Philippines and Vietnam are mentioned.
*''Spain Oru Ottapradakshinam''

Books on him

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* Letters of Mahakavi P. Kunjiraman Nair to Iyyancode Sreedharan
*''Kalppadukal'' part 2 titled as ''Puram'', S. K. Vasanthan's memoirs of friendships and cordial interactions with notable personalities including Sreedharan

Awards and honors

* Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions 2016.
* Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award 2008 for his travelogue ''King Lierinte Europyan Sanchara Padangal''
* Kerala Kalamandalam M. K. K. Nair Award for outstanding contribution in the field of literature.
* Kerala Kalamandalam 'Mukundaraja Award' for his contributions to Kathakali.
* Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award 1997- for poetry collection ''Sanghaganam''.
* Arts Service International Book Development Committee Award Paris- for his Aattakkatha ''King Lear''
* UNESCO Member International Book Committee Award- for his biography ''Swapnadanam''.
* First literary award instituted by the Professor P. Meerakutty Foundation for his autobiography ''Swapnadanam''.
* First Kaliyachan Award instituted by Cheruthuruthy Kathakali School in memory of P. Kunhiraman Nair.
* K. P. Kesava Menon Award
* First prize in the Mathrubhumi Weekly poetry competition for students, 1962
* Kerala Sahitya Samithi Poetry Award 1964

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sreedharan, Iyyamcode
1941 births
Living people
Malayalam-language writers
Malayalam poets
20th-century Indian poets
Poets from Kerala
Indian male poets
Indian biographers
Indian male novelists
Indian male short story writers
Indian male dramatists and playwrights
Indian male essayists
People from Kozhikode district
Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
Recipients of the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award