M. K. Sanu (born 27 October 1928) is a

Malayali The Malayali people () (also spelt Malayalee and also known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian peoples, Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. ...

writer, critic, retired professor, biographer, journalist, orator, social activist, and human rights activist. He has authored over thirty-six books. He is a permanent member of the International Body for Human Rights, as well as the founding member of the ''Mithram'', a school for the mentally handicapped, in

Mulanthuruthy Mulanthuruthy, also spelt Mulamthuruthy, is a south-eastern suburb of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. The historic Marthoman church is located here. Chottanikkara Temple is situated nearby Mulanthuruthy. Location It is about 15 km so ...

Ernakulam District Ernakulam, ; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'', in Malayalam: എറണാകുളം), is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, that takes its name from the eponymous city division in Kochi. It is situated in the central part o ...

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 ...

. He was a member of the award selection committee of the Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award; however, he resigned in September 2019. In 2011, he won the

Padmaprabha Literary Award Padmaprabha Literary Award for contributions to the field of Malayalam literature is instituted by the Padmaprabha Foundation. A prestigious literary prize in Malayalam, the award was instituted in memory of freedom fighter and socialist Padmaprab ...

Personal life

Sanu was born in 1928 in Alappuzha,

. In 1953, he married Retnamma.

Career

In 1955 and 1956, Sanu joined the Sree Narayana College and Maharaja's College as a lecturer. He retired as a professor in 1983. In 1984, he was elected as the President of

Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Arts & Literary Organisation) an Association for Art and Letters, also known as the PuKaSa, is an organization of artists, writers and art and literature enthusiasts based in Kerala. The association was f ...

and the director of Sree Narayana Study Centre,

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 ...

in 1985, followed by an appointment to Sree Narayana Chair,

Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), commonly referred to as MG University, is a state owned public university headquartered in Kottayam in the state of Kerala, India. It was established on 2 October 1983 on Gandhi Jayanti day. Mahatma Gandhi Uni ...

in 1997. In 1987, he was elected as an MLA from Ernakulam assembly constituency. In 1991, he joined ''Kumkumam Weekly'',

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 ...

, as the chief editor. He became the elected President of the

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 ...

Memorial Trust in 2005.

Recognition

* 1981 – SPCS Award for the best Biography for the book "Sahodaran. K. Ayyappan" * 1985 –

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

for the best Critical work for "Avadhaaranam" * 1988 – Abudabi Sakti Award for "Changampuzha Krishnapilla: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam" * 1989 – Kusumam Award for the Art of Editing for the work "Kusumathinte Kritikal" * 1991 – Ezhukon Sivasankaran Award for "Changampuzha Krishnapilla: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam" * 1992 –

Vayalar Award The Vayalar Award is given for the best literary work in Malayalam. The award was instituted in 1977 by the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust in memory of the poet and lyricist Vayalar Ramavarma (1928-1975). A sum of 25,000, a silver plate and ce ...

for "Changampuzha Krishnapilla: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam" * 1992 – Sree Narayana Samskarika Award instituted by Sree Narayana Samskarika Samithi * 1993 – Sree Narayana Jayanthi Award for the Biography "Narayana Guru Swami" * 1994 – K.T Achuthan Award for the Best Cultural Activist * 1997 – Asan Award for the Biography "Mruthyunjayam Kavyajeevitham" * 2002 – Sahodaran Award for the Biography "Sahodaran. K. Ayyappan" * 2003 – Vyloppilly Award for the Biography "M.Govindan" * 2005 – Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for total contribution to Malayalam Literature * 2006 – K.C.B.C. Award for contribution to Malayalam Literary Criticism for the work "Asaanthiyilninnu Sannthiyilekku" * 2007 – Kerala Sahitya Akademi's Eminent Membership * 2009 – V.K. Rajan Award for the best Social Activist * 2009 – Sree Narayana Award for Propagation of Sree Narayana ideals * 2011 –

Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...

for the biography "Basheer: Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan" * 2012 – Pavanan foundation India's Award for 2011 for his Autobiography "Karmagathi" * 2013 –

Ezhuthachan Puraskaram The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the highest literary honour is given by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Government of Kerala. The award is named after Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, the father of the Malayalam language and consists of a cash prize of 5,00,00 ...

, the highest literary honour given by the Kerala government * 2014 – Father Vadakkan Puraskaram * 2015 –

P. Kesavadev Literary Award The P. Kesavadev Literary Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by P. Kesavadev Trust to writers in Malayalam literature. The award is named after renowned Malayalam writer P. Kesavadev P. Kesava Pillai (20 July 1904 – 1 July 1 ...

* 2021 - Chavara Samskruthy Puraskar by Chavara Cultural Centre

Works

Autobiography

* Karmagathi – 2010

Children's literature

Criticism

Interpretations

Travelogues

Biographies

Memoirs

Collected essays

Translations

Edited works

Controversies

Sanu resigned from the award selection committee and chairmanship of the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust (VRMT) in September 2019, specifying that he was suffering from health issues. A few days later, during an interview, he clarified the controversy of his resignation from the trust. Sanu stated that he was being pressurized to select a book which, according to him, scored the least during evaluation. He also said that the piece ''Nireeshwaran'' by author

V. J. James V. J. James is an Indian writer who primarily writes in Malayalam language. His first book, ''Purapaadinte Pusthakam'', was published by DC Books as the winning work in the novel competition conducted as a part of its 25th anniversary celebrati ...

had scored the highest points in the last stage of the assessment. Later in September 2019, VRMT chose ''Nireeshwaran'' by V. J. James for the Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award 2019.

References

External links

Mithram

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanu, M. K. 1928 births Living people 20th-century Indian biographers 20th-century Indian novelists Indian children's writers Indian literary critics Indian male essayists Indian male novelists Malayalam-language writers Malayalam literary critics Malayali people Narayana Guru People from Alappuzha district Writers from Kerala Male biographers Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam