Karthikayil Padmanabhan Appan (25 August 1936 – 15 December 2008), better known as K. P. Appan, was a renowned
literary critic
Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. Th ...
in
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 ...
. Born in
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 ...
(Alleppey),
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, Appan worked as a Professor of
Malayalam literature
Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puduchery, is one of the six Classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary texts written in Malayalam, a Sou ...
at SN College, Kollam, Kerala.
Biography
Karthikayil Padmanabhan Appan was born to Poonthoppil Padmanabhan and Karthiyani in
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 ...
on 25 August 1936.
He had his schooling at Sanadana Dharma Vidyalaya there and graduation at
SD College, Alappuzha. He took his post-graduation from
Maharaja's College,
Ernakulam
Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...
.
Appan began his career as a high school teacher and then joined
UC College,
Aluva
Aluva (; also known by its former name Alwaye) is a town in the Ernakulam District in Kerala, India. It is a part of the Kochi metropolitan area and is situated around from the city center on the banks of Periyar River. A major transpor ...
, as a lecturer in Malayalam. Later he joined
SN College,
Cherthala
Cherthala, , (formerly Shertalai, Shertallai or Shertallay) is a Municipal town and a Taluk located at National highway 66 in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India. Cherthala is the satellite town and industrial hub of Ala ...
, and then got transferred to SN College,
Kollam
Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...
, in 1972. He retired from there in 1992.
Appan died at a private hospital in
Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam is a town and municipality in the ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha district in Kerala. It is the second biggest town in Alappuzha district. It is located on the western coast of India, and was an ancient maritime trading center. O ...
on 15 December 2008, aged 72. He had been battling with cancer for almost three years.
Writing
He introduced modern European and Eastern literary visions in Malayalam literary criticism.
Some of his works were Kshobhikkunnavarude Suvisesham (1972), Thiraskaram (1978), Kalahavum Viswasavum (1984), Marunna Malayala Novel (1988), Kalapam, Vivadam, Vilayiruthal (1992) Malayala Bhavana Mullyangalum Sangharshangalum (1992), Bible Velichathinte Kavacham (1994), Penayude Samaramukhangal (1995), Samayapravahavum Sahithyakalayum (1996), Abhimukha Sambashanangal (1997), UtharadhunikathaVarthamanavum Vamsavaliyum (1997).
Awards and honors
In 2008, K. P. Appan won the
Kendra Sahithya Academy Award for his collection of essays in Malayalam, ''Madhuram Ninte Jeevitham''. The award was announced after his death.
References
Further reading
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Appan, K. P.
1936 births
Indian literary critics
Malayalam-language writers
Writers from Alappuzha
Malayalam literary critics
2008 deaths
Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam
Maharaja's College, Ernakulam alumni
Malayalam novelists
20th-century Indian novelists
Novelists from Kerala