M. Mukundan | |
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| Born | Maniyambath Mukundan (1942-09-10)10 September 1942 (age 83) |
| Occupation |
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| Citizenship | Indian |
| Period | 1961 – present |
| Notable works | Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil Delhi Gadhakal Daivathinte Vikrithikal |
| Notable awards | Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (1973) Sahitya Akademi Award (1992) Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (1998) Crossword Book Award (2006) Ezhuthachan Puraskaram (2018) JCB Prize (2021) |
Maniyambath Mukundan (born 10 September 1942) is an Indian author ofMalayalam literature and a former diplomat. He worked as acultural attaché at theEmbassy of France inDelhi from 1961 to 2004, while concurrently working as an author. Many of his early works are set inMahe (Mayyazhi), his homeland, which earned him the monikerMayyazhiyude Kathakaaran (Mayyazhi's storyteller). He is known to be one of the pioneers of modernity in Malayalam literature. Some of his best known works includeMayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil,Daivathinte Vikrithikal,Kesavante Vilapangal, andPravasam.[1]
He has received several literary awards, includingSahitya Akademi Award,Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award,Vayalar Award,Crossword Book Award,JCB Prize, and theEzhuthachan Puraskaram (the highest literary award of theGovernment of Kerala). He is also a recipient of theChevalier des Arts et des Lettres of theGovernment of France.[1]
Mukundan was born on 10 September 1942 atMahe, then a French overseas territory and now a part of theunion territory ofPuducherry inSouth India.[2] Mukundan worked as acultural attaché at theNew Delhi office of theEmbassy of France inDelhi from 1961 to 2004. He concurrently worked as an author.[3]
His first literary work was ashort story published in 1961[4] while the first novel,Delhi was published in 1969.[5] Mukundan has so far published 12 novels which include his later works such asAdithyanum Radhayum Mattu Chilarum,Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha,Kesavante Vilapangal andNritham and ten collections of short stories (which totals 171 in numbers till 2012).Adithyanum Radhayum Mattu Chilarum is a fictional story which dethrone the time from the narrative, it gives the readers a new method of writing.Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha reveals how Vasundhara, an actress has been insulted in the course of acting due to some unexpected situations. It proclaims thepostmodern message that martyrs are created not only through ideologies, but through art also.Kesavante Vilapangal (Kesavan's Lamentations) one of his later works tells the story of a writer Kesavan who writes a novel on a child named Appukkuttan who grows under the influence ofE. M. S. Namboodiripad.[6]Daivathinte Vikrithikal has been translated into English and published By Penguin Books India.[7][8][9]
Three of his novels were made into feature films inMalayalam. He also co-wrote the screenplay ofDaivathinte Vikrithikal (1992) for which he won theKerala State Film Award for Best Story.[10] His novelPravasam (sojourn in non-native land) is the story of a Malayali whose journeys carry him around the world.[11]Delhi Gadhakal (Tales from Delhi), a novel published in November 2011 is his recollections in India's capital city, New Delhi.[12][13]
Mukundan served as the president ofKerala Sahitya Akademi from October 2006 until March 2010.[14]
Mukundan receivedKerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel in 1973 forEe Lokam Athiloru Manushyan.[15] This was followed bySahitya Akademi Award in 1992 whenDaivathinte Vikrithikal (God's Mischief) was selected for the award; the novel also received theN.V. Puraskaram.[16] He received two honours in 1998,Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres of the Government of France[17] and theMuttathu Varkey Award.[18] He received theVayalar Award in 2003, forKesavante Vilapangal (Kesavan's Lamentations)[19] and three years later, the English translation ofKesavan's Lamentations received the 2006Crossword Book Award.[6] The Government of Kerala awarded him their highest literary honourEzhuthachan Puraskaram in 2018.[20][21] He also received theKerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship the same year.[22] He is also a recipient of M. P. Paul Award. In 2017, he received the T. K. Ramakrishnan Award, awarded as part of theAbu Dhabi Sakthi Awards, for his overall contribution.[23]
Mukundan received theJCB prize for literature in 2021 for his bookDelhi: A Soliloquy.[24] His novelNritham Cheyyunna Kudakal received theBasheer Award in 2022.[25] In 2023, he received theThakazhi Award.[26] His most recent novelNingal won thePadmarajan Award in 2023.[27]
| Year | Title | Publisher | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Aakashathinu Chuvattil (Beneath the Sky) | Kottayam:SPCS | |
| 1969 | Delhi | Thrissur: Current Books | |
| 1970 | Avilayile Sooryodayam (Sunrise at Avila) | Thrissur: Current Books | |
| 1972 | Haridwaril Mani Muzhangunnu (Bells are Tolling in Haridwar) | Kottayam:NBS | |
| 1972 | Ee Lokam Athiloru Manushyan (This World, In it a Man) | Calicut: Poorna | |
| 1974 | Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (On the Banks of River Mayyazhi) | Kottayam: SPCS | |
| 1975 | Kootam Thetti Meyunnavar | Calicut: Poorna | |
| 1976 | Oru School Master | Kottayam: Priyamvada | |
| 1977 | Seetha | Kottayam: SPCS | |
| 1982 | Ravum Pakalum (Day and Night) | Kottayam: SPCS | |
| 1984 | Kili Vannu Vilichappol (When the Bird Came Calling) | Kottayam:DC Books | |
| 1989 | Daivathinte Vikrithikal (God's Mischief) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 1993 | Adityanum Radhayum Pinne Mattu Chilarum (Adityan, Radha and the Others) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 1996 | Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha (The Tragic Story of a Young Dalit Woman) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 1999 | Kesavante Vilapangal (Kesavan's Lamentations) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2000 | Nrittam (The Dance) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2005 | Pulayappattu (The Song of the Pulayas) | Calicut:Mathrubhumi | |
| 2008 | Pravasam (Exile) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2011 | Delhi Gadhakal (Tales from Delhi) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2015 | Kuda Nannakkunna Choyi (Choyi, Who Mends Umbrellas) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2017 | Nrutham Cheyyunna Kutakal (Dancing Umbrellas) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2023 | Ningal (You) | Kottayam: DC Books |
| Year | Title | Publisher | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Charlie Master | Calicut: Poorna | |
| 1986 | Aval Paranju Varoo (collection of novelettes) | Calicut: Malayalam Pub. | |
| 1989 | Nagnanaya Thampuran (The Naked Lord) | Calicut: Malayalam Pub. | |
| 1989 | Madamma | Calicut: Poorna | |
| 1993 | Ezhamathe Poovu (The Seventh Flower) | Kottayam:NBS |
| Year | Title | Publisher | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Veedu (Home) | Thrissur: Current Books | |
| 1969 | Nadiyum Thoniyum | Thrissur: Current Books | |
| 1971 | Vesyakale Ningalkkorambalam | Kottayam: SPCS | |
| 1973 | Anchara Vayasulla Kutti | Trivandrum: Navadhara | |
| 1977 | Ezhamathe Poovu (collection of 11 stories) | Calicut: Poorna | |
| 1982 | Thiranjedutha Kathakal (Selected Stories) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 1983 | Hridayavathiyaya Penkutty | Konni: Venus Book Depot | |
| 1985 | Thattathippenninte Kalyanam (The Marriage of the Goldsmith's Daughter) | Kottayam: Current Books | |
| 1988 | Thevidissikkili (The Whoring Bird) | Kottayam: Current Books | |
| 1990 | Kallanum Polisum (The Thief and the Police) | Kottayam: Current Books | |
| 1990 | Kathavaseshan (new edition ofVeedu) | Kottayam: Current Books | |
| 1994 | Russia | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 1995 | Kannadiyude Kazcha (The Eye of the Mirror) | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2004 | Pavadayum Bikiniyum | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2004 | Nagaravum Sthreeyum | Calicut: Mathrubhumi | |
| 2008 | Mukundante Kathakal | Thrissur: Current Books | |
| 2009 | Dinosarukalute Kalam | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2009 | Nattumpuram | Kannur: Kairali Books | |
| 2009 | Mukundante Kathakal Sampoornam | Kottayam: DC Books | |
| 2013 | Thanner Kudiyante Thandu | Calicut: Mathrubhumi |
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