Pavanan
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Puthan Veetil Narayanan Nair, fondly called and popularly known by his
pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...
Pavanan who was born on 26 October 1925 and died on 22 June 2006, was a well-known rationalist,
literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, plays, and poems. It includes both print and digital writing. In recent centuries, ...
critic and
left wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social hierarchies. Left-wing politic ...
political activist from
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 ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. He was also a well-accomplished author and journalist, who had won the
Kerala Sahithya 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.
in 1965 and the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1979. He was the secretary of the
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 the city of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy was inaugurated on ...
(1977-84) and the General Secretary of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, and a member of
Kerala Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, a deemed-to-be-University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the country's southern states, with special emphasis on tho ...
and
Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi is located in Thrissur city, of Kerala, in India. The academy presents awards for various fields like music, dance, theatre and traditional art forms. Some of the major awards include: * Kerala Sangeetha Nat ...
. Pavanan was the editor of Malayalam Encyclopedia. He had authored more than a dozen books. Pavanan Foundation Award was constituted by Pavanan Foundation to recognize and honour literary works. In 2011 M. K. Sanu, Malayalam critic and writer had received this award.


Early days and family

Pavanan was born on 26 October 1925 at Vayalalam,
Thalassery Thalassery () (also called Tellicherry) is a city and municipality on the Malabar Coast in Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India, bordered by the districts of Mahe and Kozhikode. Thalassery municipality has a population of just under ...
, Kerala, India. His father was Kuttamath Kunniyur Kunhisankara Kurup and mother, Puthan Veetil Devaki Amma. He had his education at Raja's High School,
Nileshwaram Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleeswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is lo ...
,
Kasaragod Kasaragod () is a municipal town and the administrative headquarters of the Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kera ...
and at Brennen College High School, Thalassery. Pavanan married Parvathy in 1954 in Ottapplam (Palakkad District, Kerala). They have three children: CP Rajendran (geoscientist), CP Surendran (poet; author) and CP Sree Rekha (writer in Malayalam)


Career

During 1944–46, Pavanan served in the
Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
of
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. Later, after leaving the army, he worked as an Inspector in Co-operative Department in north Kerala. Since 1949, Pavanan took up journalism as his career along with his
left-wing Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy either as a whole or of certain social ...
political activism. He first stint as a journalist was as an editorial board member of the
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 ...
journal, ''
Jayakeralam ''Jayakeralam'' was a Malayalam–language weekly literary magazine published from Madras (now Chennai). It was established by C. R. Krishna Pillai in 1947 in order to encourage Malayalam writers both in Madras and Kerala, and to vocalise the "s ...
'', published from
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
then known as Madras. During 1952–53 he worked as a sub-editor of ''Pourashakthi'' before becoming a staff-reporter with ''Deshabhimani'', the Malayalam organ of the
Communist Party of India The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI considers the Foundation of the Communist Party of India, December 26, 1925 Cawnpore (Kanpur) conference as its foundation date. Between 1946 and 1951, the CPI led m ...
. During 1965–67, he worked as the editor of ''
Navayugom ''Navayugom'' is a Malayalam fortnightly published in Kerala, India. It is the official organ of the Kerala State Council of the Communist Party of India The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. The CPI consider ...
'' and as correspondent of India Press Agency. He was a style editor with Soviet Information Office, Chennai during 1970–75 and General Editor with ''Manorajyam'' group of publications during 1984–86. He then, during 1988–94, worked as Director-in-Charge of ''Vishwa Vijnana Kosham'', an Encyclopedia published by the Government of Kerala. Pavanan was Assistant Secretary of
Kerala Sahitya 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 the city of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy was inaugurated on ...
between 1975–78 and its Member Secretary during 1978–84.


A rationalist

As a rationalist, Pavanan was the founder-Chief-editor of ''Yukthirekha'', the organ of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham, a well-known rationalist group in Kerala. He was the organization's president for a long time before he was afflicted with Parkinson’s disease from which he had been suffering for the last 4–5 years of his life.


Awards and honours

Pavanan was awarded the Sovietland-Nehru Award (twice), Kerala Sahitya Akademy Award, G. Sankara Kurup Award, Puthezhan Memorial Award, Vailoppally Memorial Award, M.C. Joseph award as well as V.T. Bhattathrippad Memorial Award for his contribution in the fields of journalism and literature. He received Emeritus Fellowship (1989–93) from the Human Resource Department, Government of India.


Death

Pavanan died on 22 June 2006 at Trissur at 7:15 am, after a prolonged illness. After his death, his eyes were donated to an eye bank. Following his wishes, he was cremated without any religious ceremonies thus upholding his rationalist ideal until his death.


Books by Pavanan

Pavanan wrote more than 40 books in
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 ...
and
English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...
s. Some of the titles are:


In Malayalam

#''Keralam Engane Jeevikkunnu'' (1967) #''Parichayam'' (1968) #''Soviet Unionanil Krushchevinu Sesham'' (1965) #''Mahakavi Kuttamath'' (1980) #''Pavanante Thiranjedutha Prabhandangal'' (1988) #''Adyakala Smaranakal'' (1990) #''Sahitya Nirupanam'' #''Yathra Vivaranam'' #''Thathva Chintha'' #''Yukthivadam'' #''Jeevacharithra Smaranakal'' #''Yukthi Darsanam'' (editor) (Published by Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham) #''Brahmananda Shivayogi'' (Biography) #''Matham, Marxism, Mathetharatwam'' #''Peristroicayum Socialisavum (1992)''


In English

#A journey through Moscow and Georgia #What happened in China #Buddhist influence in Malayalam Literature


References

# ''
Deshabhimani ''Deshabhimani'' is a Malayalam newspaper and the organ of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M). It started as a weekly in Kozhikode on 6 September 1942 and converted to a daily in 1946. The paper now has ten different printing centres: Ko ...
'' Daily dated 23 June 206. # ''
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, dated 23 June 2006. # ''
Malayala Manorama '' Manorama'' is a morning newspaper in Malayalam published from Kottayam, Kerala, India by the Malayala Manorama Company Limited. Currently headed by Mammen Mathew, it was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1888, and currently has a rea ...
'' Daily, dated 23 June 2006.


External links


Journalist and author Pavanan passes away
Obituary at www.newkerala.com

This link does not work {{DEFAULTSORT:Pavanan 1925 births 2006 deaths Indian materialists Indian atheists Malayalam-language writers Writers from Kerala 20th-century Indian writers People from Thalassery 20th-century Indian male writers Communist Party of India politicians from Kerala