M.T. Vasudevan Nair. File
| Photo Credit: S. Manisha

M.T. Vasudevan Nair, one of India’s greatest writers of all time, died in Kozhikode, Kerala, at a private hospital on December 25, 2024. He was 91.

M.T., who was born at a village called Kudallur, near Ponnani, made a mark as a writer of remarkable skills from an early age. He was just 29 when he wrote Asuravithu, which has been hailed by some, including critic M. Leelavathi, as the best novel in Malayalam.

M.T.’s first break in literature came when Valarthumrigangal, one of his short stories set against the backdrop of a circus written during college days, won the first prize in a competition conducted by the New York Herald Tribune, Mathrubhumi, and Hindustan Times. 

Many of his works were translated into English. M.T. was honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 1995, the Kerala government’s Ezhuthachan Award in 2011, and the Padma Bhushan in 2005. The University of Calicut and the Mahatma Gandhi University have conferred upon him Doctor of Letters degrees.

 In 1970, Kalam won the Sahitya Akademi award for the best novel. Gopuranadayil won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for drama in 1982, and Swargam Thurakkunna Samayam, for the best short story in 1986. Randamoozham, the mythological novel revolving around Bhima, won the Vayalar Award in 1985.

M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s works mirrored the sociopolitical changes and renaissance that Kerala went through.

M.T. was truly multifaceted. He was also a journalist who went on to become the editor of Mathrubhumi Magazine. As an editor, he mentored several young writers.

M.T. was a prolific screenwriter, though a reluctant one, to begin with. He began his career in films with the script of Murappennu. The 1965 film was directed by A. Vincent.

He became a much-in-demand scriptwriter and penned classics such as Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Amrutham Gamaya, Panchagni, Parinayam, Aksharangal, Aalkoottathil Thaniye and Thazhvaram. His last major theatrical release was Pazhassi Raja, in 2013.

This is a compilation of The Hindu’s coverage on M.T. Vasudevan Nair.

Kozhikode:

Noted writer and Jnanpith Award winner M T Vasudevan Nair, who had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital here following heart failure, has died, hospital sources said on Wednesday.

He was 91.

“M T has died,” a hospital source told PTI without elaborating.

He had been under the care of a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including cardiologists and critical care experts, since his hospitalisation last week.

Popularly known as M T, he authored nine novels, 19 collections of short stories, directed six films, wrote around 54 screenplays, and published several collections of essays and memoirs over a career spanning seven decades.

His novel Naalukettu (The Ancestral House) solidified his place as a literary icon and is considered a classic in Malayalam literature. He also penned several acclaimed works, including Asuravithu, Manju, and Kaalam.

MT’s literary achievements earned him the Jnanpith Award in 1995, India’s highest literary honour, as well as numerous other accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award, and O N V Literary Award.

In 2005, M T was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour.

He received the J C Daniel Award for lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema in 2013, and in 2022, he was honoured with the inaugural Kerala Jyothi Award, the highest civilian honour from the Kerala government.

M T also served as the editor of Mathrubhumi Weekly for several years.

Condoling his demise, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the brilliance that brought Malayalam literature to the forefront of world literature is what we have lost with the passing of M T Vasudevan Nair.

“It is an irreparable loss not only to Kerala in general but also to the world of Malayalam literature,” Vijayan said in a statement.

Describing M T as a towering figure in the fields of short story writing, novel writing, screenplay writing, film direction, journalism, and cultural leadership, Vijayan said that through his works, he conveyed the beauty and complexity of Kerala’s life.

“He rose to global prominence while firmly rooting himself in the cultural traditions of Valluvanadu, reflecting the life and ethos of the people. In doing so, M T marked not only the individual minds of Keralites, but also the collective consciousness of the people of Kerala through his writings,” he said.

In a statement, the state government said it would observe official mourning on December 26 and 27 as a mark of respect for M T.

The Chief Minister has directed that all government events, including the Cabinet meeting scheduled for December 26, be postponed, it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)