Renowned writer, Jnanpith Awarde and Padma Bhushan Awarde, MT Vasudevan Nair, passed away at a private hospital in Kerala’s Kozhikode on Wednesday at the age of 91.
Vasudevan Nair, popularly known as MT, is regarded as one of the most successful writers of novels and screenplays in Malayalam. He also wrote essays, short stories, travelogues and even directed films.
Following his demise, the Kerala government has declared official mourning on December 26 and 27 to honour MT Vasudevan Nair, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed the postponement of all government events, including the Cabinet meeting scheduled for December 26, as a mark of respect, the statement added.
MT was born in 1933 at Kudallur, a small village in Anakkara panchayat in Pattambi Taluk, Palakkad district. At the age of 20, while studying chemistry, he won the prize for the best short story in Malayalam at the World Short Story Competition conducted by The New York Herald Tribune.
His first major novel, Naalukettu (Ancestral Home- translated to English as The Legacy), written at the age of 23, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958. His other novels include Manju (Mist), Kaalam (Time), Asuravithu (The Prodigal Son – translated to English as The Demon Seed), and Randamoozham (‘The Second Turn’ translated to English as ‘Bhima – Lone Warrior’).
The deep emotional experiences of his early life significantly influenced his work. Many of his novels focus on the traditional family structure and culture of Kerala, with several of them being ground-breaking in the history of Malayalam literature.
His three seminal novels on life in the matriarchal family in Kerala — Naalukettu, Asuravithu, and Kaalam — are widely regarded as some of his best works. Randamoozham, which retells the story of the Mahabharatha from Bhimasena’s perspective, is considered his masterpiece.
MT directed seven films and wrote the screenplay for around 54 films. He won the National Film Award for Best Screenplay four times for Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989), Kadavu (1991), Sadayam (1992), and Parinayam (1994), the most by anyone in the screenplay category. in 1995, he was awarded the prestigious Jnanpith Award for his overall contribution to Malayalam literature.
In 2005, MT was honoured with India’s third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan. He received numerous other accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award, and the ONV Literary Award. In 2013, he was awarded the JC Daniel Award for lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema.
He served as the editor of Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly for several years.
In 2022, MT was honoured with the maiden Kerala Jyothi Award, the highest civilian award given by the Kerala Government. (ANI)
