Dr. K. Ayyappa Paniker, sometimes spelt "Ayyappa Panicker" (12 September 1930 – 23 August 2006), was a

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

poet, literary critic, and an academic and a scholar in modern and post-modern literary theories as well as ancient Indian

aesthetics Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed thr ...

and literary traditions. He was one of the pioneers of modernism in

Malayalam poetry Malayalam poetry is poetry written, spoken, or composed in Modern, as well as Old and Classical, Malayalam. History The history of Malayalam poetry dates back to the 12th century; the earliest poetic work in a near-Malayalam language, or what mi ...

, where his seminal works like ''Kurukshethram'' (1960), considered a turning point in Malayalam poetry, ''Ayyappapanikkarude Krithikal'' and ''Chintha'' and several essays were an important influence on the playwrights of his generation. In an academic career which ran in consonance with his literary one, and spanned four decades, he taught in various colleges and universities before retiring as the Director, Institute of English,

University of Kerala University of Kerala, formerly the University of Travancore, is a state-run public university located in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Chit ...

. He published over 25 works, translated several important work to Malayalam, including

Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and Guru Maneyo Granth, eternal Guru following the lineage of the Sikh gur ...

and a book in French; as a scholarly editor he produced numerous anthologies on

Indian literature Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Republic of India has 22 officially recognised languages. The earliest works of Indian literature were o ...

, he was the chief editor of the

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of, the Indian government. Its of ...

's ''Indian Literary Encyclopaedia''. Another important work by him ''Indian Narratology'', published by

IGNCA Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi is a premier government-funded arts organization in India. It is an autonomous institute under the Union Ministry of Culture. History The Indira Gandhi National centre for arts ...

, was the first of its kind to study various forms of the art of narration, in

, starting with

Vedic upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

and oral literature to

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

and contemporary literature.

Early life and education

Paniker (his preferred spelling) was born in

Kavalam Kavalam is a village in Kuttanadu, Kerala state, Alappuzha District. India. Location Kavalam is located on the borders of Alapuzha and Kottayam districts, on the banks of Vembanad Lake. Environment The Pampa river flows through the village ...

near

Alappuzha Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in States and territories of India, state of Kerala, India. The Kerala Backwaters, Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Indi ...

to E. Naryanan of Periyamana Illam, and M. Meenakshiamma. Fourth of the eight children, six of them girls, he grew up without any paternal affection, while his mother died when he was 12 years old, this early anguish and solitude deeply reflected in his poetry, which he started writing when he was in high school. The Kavalam village, was also home to people like, K. M. Panikkar, historian and administrator, and playwright and poet,

Kavalam Narayana Panicker Kavalam Narayana Panicker (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Kalidasa's ''Vikramorvasiy ...

, his cousin. He published his first poem at the age of 16, published in the

Mathrubhoomi ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian freedom struggle against the British. The word "Mathrubhumi" translates to 'mother land'. It ...

Weekly. He did his Intermediate at

Malabar Christian College The Malabar Christian College (MCC), established in 1909, is one of the oldest institutions located in Kozhikode, Kerala, India. History It was established by Protestant Christian missionaries from Basel, Switzerland with the aim to impart educ ...

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second la ...

, and BA Honours in English Literature at the

University College In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies ...

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

in 1951, thereafter he received his master's degree from the

. Paniker took his doctorate from

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

with a

doctoral dissertation A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

on the poetry of

Robert Lowell Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV (; March 1, 1917 – September 12, 1977) was an American poet. He was born into a Boston Brahmin family that could trace its origins back to the ''Mayflower''. His family, past and present, were important subjects i ...

, supervised by Prof. Robert E. Gross, subsequently he did post-doctoral research in

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

and

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

(1981–82).

Career

Paniker joined

CMS College The CMS College (CMS College Kottayam) is the first Western-style college in India. Overview The college now has 17 Undergraduate and 18 postgraduate departments. There are six research centres in the college. Research work leading to the degr ...

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south-we ...

as a lecturer of English in 1951, after working there for a year, he joined the

Mahatma Gandhi College Mahatma Gandhi College is a college in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It was founded by to Mannathu Padmanabhan, the founder of the Nair Service Society. The college is affiliated to Kerala University and is managed by Nair Service Society. ...

. He started teaching at the

, in Thiruvananthapuram in 1952, and did so until 1965. At this point, he became a Professor at the Institute of English and Head of the department in

(1965–74). In 1974, he became Reader in English, at the Institute of English under University of Kerala, a post he held till 1980, when he became Dean of Faculty of Arts in the University of Kerala, he retired in 1990. Through his long career he lectured in many national and international universities, including around 25 universities in US, where came across poets

James Dickey James Lafayette Dickey (February 2, 1923 January 19, 1997) was an American poet and novelist. He was appointed the eighteenth United States Poet Laureate in 1966. He also received the Order of the South award. Dickey is best known for his no ...

John Hollander John Hollander (October 28, 1929 – August 17, 2013) was an American poet and literary critic. At the time of his death, he was Sterling Professor Emeritus of English at Yale University, having previously taught at Connecticut College, Hunter C ...

, Czeslaw Milosz and

Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...

Awards and recognition

Paniker was a recipient of a number of honours including the

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

Kerala Sahitya Akademi The Kerala Sahitya Akademi or Academy for Malayalam literature is an autonomous body established to promote the Malayalam language and Malayalam literature, literature. It is situated in City of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy ...

award for poetry and criticism, ''Kendriya'' Sahitya Akademi Award for poetry, 2005 ''

Saraswati Samman The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in any of the 22 languages of India listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India. It is named after the Hindu goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. The Saras ...

'' for his collection of writings ''Ayyappa Panikerude Krithikal'', ''Distinguished Teacher'' award, ''Mahakavi Ulloor'' award for poetry, ''Kabir Samman'', ''International Man of the Year'' (IBC, Cambridge, UK), ''Indira Gandhi Memorial Fellowship'' with lead to the book, ''Indian Narratology'' published by

Gangadhar Meher Swabhaba kabi Gangadhar Meher () was a renowned Odia poet of the 19th century. Though poor in wealth and education, he remained one of the most prolific and original contributor to Odia literature. Childhood Gangadhara was born in 1862 on the ...

National Award for poetry, ''Asan Prize'' and ''Jana Sanskriti Award'' (Abu Dhabi), ''Vayalar Award'', Pandalam Keralavarma award and ''Vallathol Award''.2015 was conducted in memory of him.

Personal life

He died in

(Trivandrum) on 23 August 2006 at the age of 76 and was survived by his wife and two children. He was cremated the following day in his native village,

, in a plot he had set apart twelve years ago for the purpose, on the western side of his traditional family house, ''Olickal tharavad''. The house finds reference in several of his works, especially in his poem 'Kavalam' in the anthology ''Pathumanippookkal''.

Legacy

Ayyapa Foundation was formed in 2006 in Thiruvananthapuram, to promote his work and Malayalam poetry. The January 2007 issue of journal ''Samyukta'', was dedicated entirely to him, it contained 10 critical essays on him and his work, besides three collections of his verse in English translation, one of which, ''Poetry at Midnight'' published for the first time. It also contained a 36-page bibliography of his oeuvre. In September 2009,

Sitakant Mahapatra Sitakant Mahapatra (born 17 September 1937) is an Indian poet and literary critic in Odia as well as English. He served in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) from 1961 until he retired in 1995, and has held ''ex officio'' posts such as the ...

delivered the "Ayyappa Paniker commemorative speech 2009" at Thiruvananthapuram. The popular poetry journal

Poetry Chain ''Poetry Chain'' is an English poetry journal of India published quarterly from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The Indian English poet Gopi Kottoor is its founder editor. The journal was founded in 1997 with the mentoring of the Indian poet Ayy ...

was established by

Gopi Kottoor use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates ...

in memory of Ayyappa Paniker.

Bibliography

* ''Selected poems of Ayyappa Paniker''. Modern Book Centre, 1985. * ''Indian Renaissance''. Facet Books. 1988. . * ''A perspective of Malayalam literature''. Annu Chithra Publications, 1990. * ''Kathakali, the art of the non-worldly'', with D. Appukuttan Nair, Pankaj Shah, Sangeet Natak Akademi. Marg Publications, 1993. . *
Indian Narratology
'. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Sterling Publishers. 2003. . * ''Agnipujayum Mattu Pradana Kavithakalum'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Ayyappapanikerute Krithikal Vol 1 (1951–1969)'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Ayyappapanikerute Krithikal Vol 2 (1969–1981)'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Ayyappapanikerute Krithikal Vol 3 (1981–1989)'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Ayyappapanikerute Krithikal Vol 4 (1990–1999)'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Ayyappapanikerute Kavitakal Vol 5 (2000–2006)'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. (Last poems, written during 2000–2006 compiled by his daughter Kumari M.). * ''Viswasahithyanglilute-1 '' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Viswasahithyanglilute-2'' (Malayalam). Dc Books. . * ''Poetry at Midnight'' (Tr of Pathumanippookkal) Tr by P Ravindran Nayar, FOLIO,2010,

Edited anthologies

* ''Malayalam Short Stories: Anthology''. Vikas Publishing. 1982. . *
Modern Indian Poetry in English
'. Sahitya Akademi. 1989. . * ''Indian English literature since independence''. Indian Association for English Studies, 1991. . * ''Narrating Colonialism'' by D. Maya. Prestige Books. 1997. . *
Medieval Indian literature: An Anthology, Volume 1
'. Sahitya Akademi. 1997. . * ''Indian English Literature Since Independence''. Stosius Inc/Advent Books Division. 1997. . * ''Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology, Selections (Maithili-Punjabi) Volume 3''. Sahitya Akademi, 1999. .

References

External links

K. Ayyappa Paniker, website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paniker, Ayyappa 1930 births 2006 deaths Recipients of the Saraswati Samman Award Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam Recipients of the Gangadhar National Award University of Kerala alumni Indiana University alumni Harvard University alumni Malayali people Scholars from Kerala Malayalam-language writers Malayalam poets University of Kerala faculty Malayalam literary critics Poets from Kerala 20th-century Indian translators Literary theorists University College Thiruvananthapuram alumni Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Malabar Christian College alumni 20th-century Indian poets People from Alappuzha district Indian male poets 20th-century Indian male writers