Malappurath Raman Chandrasekharan ( ml, മലപ്പുറത്ത് രാമൻ ചന്ദ്രശേഖരൻ; born 26 February 1929), popularly known as M.R. Chandrasekharan ( ml, എം. ആർ. ചന്ദ്രശേഖരൻ) or simply M. R. C. ( ml, എം.ആര്‍.സി.), is a

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...

literary critic and author from

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 ...

, India. Chandrasekharan has published more than 50 books in different literary sections like literary criticism, translations, politics, social etc. He also works in the field of

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (pro ...

and

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

. He won the 2010

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism The Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism is an award given every year by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy) to Malayalam writers for writing literary criticism. It is one of the twelve categories of the Kerala Sah ...

Biography

Chandrasekharan was born on 26 February 1929 at Pottore,

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

( Trichur) in

. His childhood days were spent in the village where he attended the Tirur Lower Secondary School and Vivekodayam High School,

. He took his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

from Sree Kerala Varma College,

, BOL from

University of Madras The University of Madras (informally known as Madras University) is a public state university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1857, it is one of the oldest and among the most prestigious universities in India, incorporated by an a ...

and later the master's degree from

Kerala University 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 ...

in Malayalam language and literature. Chandrasekharan started his career as a

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

in Navajeevan edited by

Joseph Mundassery Joseph Mundassery (17 July 1903 – 25 October 1977) was a literary critic and Indian politician from Kerala state. He specialised in the Malayalam language and literature. In Kerala politics, he is remembered as the Education Minister who w ...

for the

CPI A consumer price index (CPI) is a price index, the price of a weighted average market basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households. Changes in measured CPI track changes in prices over time. Overview A CPI is a statistic ...

. Subsequently, he joined as a sub-editor in

Mathrubhumi ''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'. ...

daily in

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 l ...

, but was sent out for his communist leanings. He worked as a school teacher at Kodakara National High School and Bekal Govt. High School. He joined as a lecturer 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 ...

, in 1956 and moved to Payyannur College,

Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and a municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the major port city and commercial hu ...

as senior lecturer in 1965. He retired from Payyannur College,

after over 30 years of teaching service in the year 1989. After retirement he has also worked as Malayalam Professor in

Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit The Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) is a Sanskrit university in India established in 1993 in Kalady, Kerala. It provides education in Sanskrit, other Indian and Foreign languages, Social science and fine arts. It is accredited ...

. He is now settled at Ananganadi P.O.Panamanna,

Ottappalam Ottapalam, (also spelled Ottappalam) is a town, taluk and municipality in the Palakkad District, Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ottapalam taluk. Ottapalam is located about 36 km from district headquarters Palakkad. ...

Palghat Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated munic ...

district,

. He is active with his writings and enjoys the challenge of

organic farming Organic farming, also known as ecological farming or biological farming,Labelling, article 30 o''Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products and re ...

Positions held

Chandrasekharan was very much involved in The All Kerala Private College Teachers' Association (AKPCTA) and was a college committee secretary, regional secretary, regional president, general secretary and president of the association. As association representative, he was elected to the

Calicut University The University of Calicut, also known as Calicut University, is a state-run public university headquartered at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district of the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1968, it is the first university to be set up in nor ...

senate and syndicate. He was a member of

Kerala Sahithya Academy The Kerala Sahitya Akademi or Academy for Malayalam literature is an autonomous body established to promote the Malayalam language and literature. It is situated in City of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy was inaugurated on 15 ...

general council and its executive committee. Chandrasekharan was one of the directors of the Calicut City Service Co-Operative Bank from the 2006 to 2013. He is a member of the Academic Council of

Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, also called Malayalam University, is a state university in Tirur, Kerala, India. History It was established by the Government of Kerala and inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on 1 Novemb ...

established in 2012 In 1961,when Kerala Sahithya Samiti was formed with Kuttipuzha Krishna Pillai as president,

S. K. Pottekkatt Sankarankutty Kunjiraman Pottekkatt (14 March 1913 – 6 August 1982) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature and a politician from Kerala, India. He was also a great traveller among the Keralites, who wrote many travelogues for the peopl ...

as vice president,

N. V. Krishna Warrier N. V. Krishna Warrier (May 13, 1916 – October 12, 1989) was an Indian poet, journalist, scholar, academician and political thinker. A prolific writer, Warrier's works covered the genres of poetry, drama, travelogue, translation, children's lit ...

as general secretary in

, MRC and

Vayalar Ramavarma Vayalar Ramavarma (March 25, 1928 – October 27, 1975), also known as Vayalar, was an Indian poet and lyricist of Malayalam language. He was known for his poems which include ''Sargasangeetham'', ''Mulankaadu'', ''Padamudrakal'', ''Aayisha'' a ...

were named secretaries. MRC was later general secretary and president of the organisation. He was also involved in the formation in 1969 of the Deshabhimani Study Circle, cited as a vigorous and widespread literary movement in Kerala along with E. M. S. Namboodiripad, M.S.Devadas and P.Govindapillai. He published the literary critical journal ''Sahithya Samithi Masika'' from

Payyanur Payyanur, , is a municipal town and a taluk, a sub-district administrative unit, in the Kannur district of Kerala, India. On 10 March 2018, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Payyanur as the fifth taluk in the district. Payyan ...

in 1976 to 1980. In 1969, when he was the research officer at

Kerala Bhasha Institute The Kerala Bhasha Institute is an academic publishing house in India that was established on 11 March 1968 as a part of the fourth five-year plan. Twelve years later, on 1 November 1980, a regional center was set up in Kozhikode. It is located ...

, he worked as the executive editor of the magazine ''Vignana Kairali'' ( ml, വിജ്ഞാനകൈരളി ). After retirement in 1989, he took-up the editorship of a magazine called ''Chindana'' ( ml, ചിന്തന ) published in

. He was the editor of CMP's weekly journal ''Malayala Mannu'' (Malayalam:മലയാളമണ്ണ്) from 1990 to 2013.

Awards and honours

Chandrasekharan has won the 2010

for his book ''Malayalam Novel Innum Innaleyum''. He won the Dr. C.P.Menon Award for The Study of the Progressive School in Literature for his book ''Keralathile purogamana sahitya prastanathinte charithram'' in 2005. He has also won the M. N. Sathyaardhi Award in recognition of his contributions to Malayalam literature as a translator. The award was instituted by the M.N. Sathyarthi Trust in memory of the writer who is remembered for his translations of many popular Indian-language works into Malayalam. He was awarded the MVR award in 2018

Bibliography

Literary criticism

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ml, സത്യവും കവിതയും , align = "left", Reality and Poetry , align = "left", 1979, Poorna Publications Calicut , - ! align = "left", 4 , align = "left", Gopuram
ml, ഗോപുരം , align = "left", The Tower , align = "left", 1989, Current Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 5 , align = "left", Grandhapooja
ml, ഗ്രന്ഥപൂജ , align = "left", Worshiping Books , align = "left", 1996, S.P.C.S.Ltd Kottayam , - ! align = "left", 6 , align = "left", Communist Kavithrayam
ml, കമ്മ്യൂണിസ്റ്റ് കവിത്രയം , align = "left", Three Communist Poets - P. Bhaskaran,

, O.N.V. Kurup , align = "left", 1998, Current Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 7 , align = "left", Malayala Sahityam Swaathanthrya Labdikku Shesham
ml, മലയാളസാഹിത്യം സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യലബ്ധിക്കുശേഷം , align = "left", Malayalam Literature after the attainment of Independence , align = "left", 1999, S.P.C.S.Ltd Kottayam , - ! align = "left", 8 , align = "left", Ezhuthile Ponnu
ml, എഴുത്തിലെ പൊന്ന് , align = "left", The Golden Writing , align = "left", 2001,Prabhat Book House Trivandrum , - ! align = "left", 9 , align = "left", Maneeshikal
ml, മനീഷികള്‍ , align = "left", The visionaries among writers , align = "left", 2005, Lipi Book Publishers Calicut , - ! align = "left", 10 , align = "left", Malayalam Novel Innum Innaleyum
ml, മലയാളനോവല്‍ ഇന്നും ഇന്നലെയും , align = "left", Malayalam Novel - Today and Yesterday , align = "left", 2007, Samayam Books Kannur , - ! align = "left", 11 , align = "left", Mundassery - Sahithya Vimarshanathinte Prathaapa Kaalam
ml, മുണ്ടശ്ശേരി - സാഹിത്യവിമര്‍ശനത്തിന്‍റെ പ്രതാപകാലം , align = "left", Mundasseri - Golden Years of Literary Criticism , align = "left", 2008, Green Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 12 , align = "left", Krishnagadha Vimarshanam - chila thiruthalukal
ml, കൃഷ്ണഗാഥാ വിമര്‍ശനം - ചില തിരുത്തലുകള്‍ , align = "left", Criticism of Krishnagatha- Some Corrections , align = "left", 2008, Poorna Books Calicut , - ! align = "left", 13 , align = "left", Adyathma Ramayanam Vimarshanam
ml, അദ്ധ്യാത്മരാമായണം വിമര്‍ശനം , align = "left", Criticism of Ramayana, The Epic , align = "left", 2008, Samayam Books Kannur , - ! align = "left", 14 , align = "left", Shishirathile Pookkal
ml, ശിശിരത്തിലെ പൂക്കള്‍ , align = "left", Flowers in the Winter , align = "left", 2010, S.P.C.S.Ltd Kottayam , - ! align = "left", 15 , align = "left", Karamullum Kaattupookkalude Karachilum
ml, കാരമുള്ളും കാട്ടുപൂക്കളുടെ കരച്ചിലും , align = "left", The Thorns and Cries of Wild flowers , align = "left", 2012, Kerala Sahithya Academy Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 16 , align = "left", Theechoolayil Venthurukaathe
ml, തീച്ചൂളയില്‍ വെന്തുരുകാതെ , align = "left", Life inside a Furnace , align = "left", 2012, S.P.C.S.Ltd Kottayam , - ! align = "left", 17 , align = "left", Keralathile purogamana sahitya prastanathinte charithram - Sahithya prastana padanam
ml, കേരളത്തിലെ പുരോഗമനസാഹിത്യപ്രസ്ഥാനത്തിന്‍റെ ചരിത്രം - സാഹിത്യപ്രസ്ഥാനപഠനം , align = "left", History of Forward Thinking Literary Movement in Kerala , align = "left", 1996, Olive Books Calicut , - ! align = "left", 18 , align = "left", Swapnadanam
ml, സ്വപ്നാടനം , align = "left", Literary Criticism of selected works of O.V.Vijayan and Mohan Kumar. , align = "left", 2022, India Books Calicut , - ! align = "left", 18 , align = "left", Mahakavi Sapthakam
ml, മഹാകവി സപ്തകം , align = "left", Poetical Criticism of seven Poets in malayalam , align = "left", 2020, Green Books, Thrissur , -

Political thinking

, align = "left", Communism - Some Critical notes , align = "left", 1999, Kalaveekshanam Books Calicut , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", Keralathile Communism
ml, കേരളത്തിലെ കമ്മ്യൂണിസം , align = "left", Communism in Kerala , align = "left", 2000, Kalaveekshanam Books Calicut , - ! align = "left", 3 , align = "left", Kerala modelilekku oru kilivaathil
ml, കേരളമോഡലിലേക്കു ഒരു കിളിവാതില്‍ , align = "left", An eye on the Kerala Model , align = "left", 2001, Haritham Books Calicut , - ! align = "left", 4 , align = "left", Marx nte viplavavum Lenin nte athiviplavavum
ml, മാർക്സിന്റെ വിപ്ലവവും ലെനിന്റെ അതിവിപ്ലവവും , align = "left", Revolution of Marx and Extreme revolution of Lenin , align = "left", 2018, Self Publication , -

Social

List of Social Books by M. R. C. , align = "left", Human Rights (Translation) , align = "left", 1962, Southern Languages Book Trust Madras , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", India innu evide nilkkunnu
ml, ഇന്ത്യ ഇന്ന് എവിടെ നില്‍ക്കുന്നു , align = "left", whither stands India Today , align = "left", 2003, State Institute of Languages Trivandrum , - ! align = "left", 3 , align = "left", Universitykalile Upaplavangal
ml, യൂണിവേഴ്സിറ്റികളിലെ ഉപപ്ലവങ്ങൾ , align = "left", Heteronomy in Universities , align = "left", 2021, India Books Kozhikode , -

Memoirs

, align = "left", A Book of Memories , align = "left", 2003, Current Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", Sahithyathil Diggajangalude oru kalaghattam
ml, സാഹിത്യത്തില്‍ ദിഗ്ഗജങ്ങളുടെ ഒരു കാലഘട്ടം , align = "left", The Time of Colossal figures in Malayalam Literature , align = "left", 2006, Poorna Publications Calicut , - ! align = "left", 3 , align = "left", Ente jeevithakadhayile N.V parvam
ml, എന്‍റെ ജീവിതകഥയിലെ എന്‍.വി. പര്‍വ്വം , align = "left", The N. V. Chapter in my literary life story , align = "left", 2010, 2016 2nd Edition Green Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 4 , align = "left", Kudumba parvam
ml, കുടുംബപര്‍വ്വം , align = "left", The Family Chapter of my life story , align = "left", 2011, Maluban Publishers Trivandrum , - ! align = "left", 5 , align = "left", Balikuteerangalkkoru Ormapusthakam
ml, ബലികുടീരങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് ഒരു ഓര്‍മ്മപുസ്തകം , align = "left", A memoir for sacrificial stone temples , align = "left", 2015, Green Books Thrissur , -

Novel Translation

, align = "left", At the outer gate , align = "left", On the eve, Russian,

Ivan Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (; rus, links=no, Ива́н Серге́евич Турге́невIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; 9 November 1818 – 3 September 1883 (Old Style dat ...

, align = "left", 1955, Prabhath Book House Ernakulam , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left",

Kokoro is a novel by the Japanese author Natsume Sōseki. It was first published in 1914 in serial form in the Japanese newspaper ''Asahi Shimbun''. The title translated literally means "heart". The word contains shades of meaning—notions of the he ...

ml, കൊകോറോ , align = "left",

, align = "left", Japanese Novel , align = "left", 1962, Southern Languages Book Trust Madras , - ! align = "left", 3 , align = "left", Uzhuthumaricha Puthumannu
ml, ഉഴുതുമറിച്ച പുതുമണ്ണ് , align = "left", Virgin Soil Upturned , align = "left", Russian, Mikhail Sholokhov , align = "left", 1962, CICC Books Ernakulam , - ! align = "left", 4 , align = "left", Don Nadeetheerathe Koithu
ml, ഡോണ്‍നദീതീരത്തെ കൊയ്ത്ത് , align = "left", Harvest on the Don , align = "left", Russian, Mikhail Sholokhov , align = "left", 1962, CICC Books Ernakulam
2015, S.P.C.S. Ltd. Kottayam , - ! align = "left", 5 , align = "left", Genghis Khan
ml, ഝഖിസ്ഖാന്‍ , align = "left", Genghis Khan-The world Conqueror (Historical Biography) , align = "left",

Harold Lamb Harold Albert Lamb (September 1, 1892 – April 9, 1962) was an American writer, novelist, historian, and screenwriter. In both his fiction and nonfiction work, Lamb gravitated toward subjects related to Asia and Middle East. Lamb was an advocat ...

, align = "left", 1963, Current Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 6 , align = "left", Timoor
ml, തിമൂർ , align = "left", Timoor Historical Biography , align = "left",

Tamerlane Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...

, align = "left", 1963, Current Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 7 , align = "left", Maattivecha Talakal
ml, മാറ്റിവെച്ച തലകള്‍ , align = "left", The Transposed Heads , align = "left", German,

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...

, align = "left", 1979, Chintha Books Trivandrum , - ! align = "left", 8 , align = "left", Kalanju Kittiya Mookku
ml, കളഞ്ഞുകിട്ടിയ മൂക്ക് , align = "left", The Nose , align = "left", Russian, Nikolai Gogol , align = "left", 2006, Lipi Publications Calicut , -

Science Translation

, align = "left", The World We Live in , align = "left", 1959, Mathrubhumi Co Calicut , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", maanathekku nookkumpol
ml, മാനത്തേക്കു നോക്കുമ്പോള്‍ , align = "left", Let us Look at the Sky , align = "left", 1961, Southern Languages Book Trust Madras , -

Children's Literature

, align = "left", A Fox Named Srigalan , align = "left", Reynard the fox(British Folklore) , align = "left", 2004, Current Books Thrissur , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", moonnu bala saahithya kruthikal
ml, മൂന്നു ബാലസാഹിത്യകൃതികള്‍ , align = "left", Three Stories for Children , align = "left", Oscar Wilde , align = "left", 2010, Lipi Publications Calicut , -

Other genres

, align = "left", Poem Collections Kerala Sahithya Samiti , align = "left", 2004, Prabhakar Book Stall Shornur , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", aana undaayirunna veedu
ml, ആന ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന വീട് , align = "left", A House which owned an elephant (novel) , align = "left", 2012, Samayam Books Kannur , - ! align = "left", 3 , align = "left", Vilakkukal Puthiyathum Pazhayathum
ml, വിളക്കുകൾ പുതിയതും പഴയതും , align = "left", Collection of literary articles , align = "left", 2016, S.P.C.S Ltd. Kottayam , - ! align = "left", 4 , align = "left", Vilakkukal Puthiyathum Pazhayathum
ml, എൻ വി യുടെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുത്ത പ്രബന്ധങ്ങൾ , align = "left", Collection of essays by N.V.Krishna Warrier , align = "left", 2006, Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Thrissur , -

Journals edited

, align = "left", Published from Calicut , - ! align = "left", 2 , align = "left", Vijnana Kairali
ml, വിജ്ഞാന കൈരളി , align = "left", Journal of Kerala Language Institute, Tvm , - ! align = "left", 3 , align = "left", Sahithya Samithi Masika
ml, സാഹിത്യ സമിതി മാസിക , align = "left", Published from Payyannur, Kannur District , - ! align = "left", 4 , align = "left", Chinthana Weekly
ml, ചിന്തന , align = "left", Published from Kannur District , - ! align = "left", 5 , align = "left", Malayala Mannu Weekly
ml, മലയാള മണ്ണ് , align = "left", Published from Kannur District , -

References

Other Links
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/akpcta-district-convention/article3174584.ece
https://www.amazon.com/M.R.Chandrasekharan/e/B00JQAO64G
http://www.indulekha.com/index.php?route=product/author/product&author_id=1709
http://www.mkbhasi.com/mypdf/Mazha1/M%20R%20Chandrasekharan.pdf {{DEFAULTSORT:Chandrasekharan, M.R. Indian literary critics 1929 births Living people People from Thrissur district Writers from Thrissur Indian children's writers Indian male writers 20th-century Indian non-fiction writers 20th-century Indian translators Indian political writers Indian literary historians Malayalam-language writers Indian memoirists Indian social sciences writers Scholars from Kerala Novelists from Kerala 20th-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian novelists 21st-century Indian translators