O. M. Anujan (born 20 July 1928) is an Indian poet,

Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...

scholar, and academic from Kerala. He was one of the founding members of International Center for Kathakali, New Delhi. In 2018, he received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Lifetime Achievement (Samara Sambhavana) Award. Anujan has written 10 poetry collection, 5 attakathas (texts for Kathakali performance) one short story collection and one travelogue.

Biography

Anujan was born in

Vellinezhi Vellinezhi is a small but culturally crucial village located in Palakkad district of Kerala in southern India. Geography The sylvan, rugged land is located on the banks of the Kunti, a slender rivulet that forms tributary to the broad, west-f ...

Olappamanna Mana Olappamanna Mana is a heritage building, the ancestral home of a Nambuthiri family by name, ''Olappammanna''. The building, an ''Ettukettu'', constructed in Architecture of Kerala, Kerala architectural style, is situated in Vellinezhi, a village ...

Palakkad district Palakkad District () is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. It was carved out from the southeastern region of the former Malabar District on 1 January 1957. It is located at the centre of Kerala. It is the largest district i ...

. His mother was from Vadakkancheri Mana. Poet

Olappamanna Olappamanna Mana Subramanian Namboothirippad (January 10, 1923 – April 10, 2000), better identified by his family name, Olappamanna , was an Indian poet of Malayalam literature. A former chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam and an author of 20 bo ...

is his elder brother. Due to lack of study facilities in Vellinezhi that time, he joined the school at Ottapalam at the age of 10 only. His birth name was Chithrabhanu. However, being the youngest of eight siblings, he decided to take the name Anujan (which means younger brother in Malayalam) when he joined the school. After passing intermediate from

Victoria College, Palakkad The Government Victoria College in Palakkad, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the Malabar region of Kerala. It holds a rich educational heritage in the history of malabar region. It is affiliated to the Calicut University and ...

, he completed bachelor's degree in Economics from

Madras Christian College Madras Christian College (MCC) is a liberal arts and sciences college in Chennai, India. Founded in 1837, MCC is one of Asia's oldest extant colleges. The college is affiliated to the University of Madras but functions as an autonomous institu ...

. After that he studied post graduate degree in Malayalam Literature from the

University College, Thiruvananthapuram University College, Thiruvananthapuram (UCT) is a constituent college of the University of Kerala, based primarily in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. The college was awarded 23rd rank by National Institutional Ran ...

, and later a doctorate under Sardar KM Panicker. After retirement he settled in

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 ...

city, and there he became part of Ernakulam Kathakali Club.

Academic career

He worked as lecturer in Presidency College, Chennai and then joined as Malayalam professor in Delhi University, later he became head of the Department of Modern Indian Languages, University of Delhi. After retirement he himself participated in the research and evaluation of doctoral theses by students from various universities.

Literary contributions

Autobiography

* Jeevitham Kavyam (Life as Poem)- It is written in second or third person narration style

Poetry collection

* Srishti * Vaishakham * Nagarashilpikal * Chilluvathil * Agadhaneelimakal * Mukulangal * Megham * Aaktheyan * Malayalichi * Madhuvum Ramayum Rajavum

Attakatas

* Bhavadevacharithram (Based on Vallathol's Poetry) * Meghasandesham * Urvasi Purooravass * Yayati * Bharatastreekal than bhavashudhi

Short story collection

* Kaviyude kadhakal

Travelogue

* Poorva Europilekku oru samskarika paryadanam

Awards

* 2018: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Lifetime Achievement Award

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anujan, O. M. 1928 births Living people Indian male poets Malayalam-language writers People from Palakkad district Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award