M. K. Sanu (born 27 October 1926) is an Indian

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 ...

-language 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,

Ernakulam district Ernakulam (; ISO: ''Eṟaṇākuḷaṁ'') is one of the List of districts of Kerala, 14 districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala, and takes its name from the Ernakulam, eponymous city division in Kochi. ...

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, 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 ...

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

Personal life

Sanu was born on 27 October 1926 in Thumpoly in the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore.

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 and the director of Sree Narayana Study Centre, University of Kerala in 1985, followed by an appointment to Sree Narayana Chair, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam in 1997. In 1987, he was elected as an MLA from Ernakulam Assembly constituency. In 1991, he joined ''Kumkumam Weekly'',

Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...

, as the chief editor. He became the elected President of the Vayalar Award Memorial Trust in 2005.

Recognition

* 2011 – Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for the biography "Basheer: Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan" * 2011 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (other category literature) for overall contributions * 2012 – Pavanan foundation India's Award for 2011 for his Autobiography "Karmagathi" * 2013 – Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary honour given by the Kerala government * 2013 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award for Overall Contribution (T. K. Ramakrishnan Award) * 2014 – Father Vadakkan Puraskaram * 2015 – P. Kesavadev Literary Award * 2020 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (other category literature) (Sakti Erumeli Award) for ''Kesari Oru Kaalaghattathinte Srishtaavu'' * 2021 – Chavara Samskruthy Puraskar by Chavara Cultural Centre * 2022 – D.Litt. by Mahatma Gandhi University

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 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 www.sanumash.com Narayana Guru Writers from Alappuzha district Writers from Kerala Indian male biographers Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam Recipients of the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award Kerala Jyothi Award Winners