M. R. Renukumar

Last updated

M. R. Renukumar
Native name
എം. ആർ. രേണുകുമാർ
Born(1969-02-08)8 February 1969
Kottayam, Kerala
OccupationWriter, poet, painter
Genrepoetry
Notable worksKothiyan
Notable awards
SBT Kavitha award [1]

M. R. Renukumar is a poet who writes in Malayalam. He is also a short story writer, biographer, essayist, translator and painter. He is a recipient of the 2019 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry.

Contents

Biography

M. R. Renukumar was born on 8 February 1969, in Kottayam, a central district of Kerala. He was born to Thankamma and Raghavan. He is married to Rekha Raj and the couple has a son, Raghav. He was the Kalaprathibha of MG University Youth festival of 1994. He took M.Phil. in economics from Centre for Development Studies (CDS) affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru University. His day job is with the State Audit Department at Kottayam. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Career

Renukumar published four collections of poetry. Keninilangail (In marshy lands, 2005), Veshakkaya (The fruit of knowledge, 2007) Pachakkuppi (Green bottle, 2011) and Kothiyan (2017). His other works include Naalaam classile varaal (Snakehead fish in the fourth standard, 2008), Poykayil Yohannan (2009, biography of the activist, poet and socio-religious reformer of the same name), Muzhusooryan aakaanulla shramangal (Attempts to be a full blown sun, 2013) a book of essays and reminiscences, Aracycle (Half Cycle, 2016), Koottu koodunna kathakal (Friendly Stories, 2017)and Ayyankali: Jeevithavum Idapedalukalum (Ayyankali: Life and Interventions, 2017), biography of Ayyankali the renowned social reformer of Kerala. He has translated the graphic biography of B.R. Ambedkar, Bhimayana: Experiences of Untouchability, from English into Malayalam (2014). He edited and prefaced Dalit Short Stories from Malayalam under the title 'Njaarukal' in 2014 and later it was translated to English as 'Don't Want Caste' in 2017 by Navayana publications. [6]

Political perspective in writing

Poetry is a medium for him to recapture the life and dreams of people, historically oppressed by the caste system and slavery, presently called Dalits who were excluded, underestimated, otherised, and demoralised by the mainstream literature based on hegemonic aesthetics and sensibility. He writes poetry for socio-political rather than personal reasons. He is trying to problematise the so-called syllabi of Malayalam literature with a different vocabulary, images, experiences and identical descends. [7]

Awards

He received SBT Kavitha award for 'Veshakkaya' in 2008 and award for Best short story collection to 'Naalam Classile Varaal' by the Kerala State Institute for Children's Literature in 2009. In 2018, for the book 'Aracycle' he received FOKANA award for Children's Literature., [8] [9] His poetry anthology, Kothiyan was selected for the 2019 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry, which was announced in 2021. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vayalar Ramavarma</span> Indian poet and lyricist (1928–1975)

Vayalar Ramavarma, also known as Vayalar, was an Indian poet and lyricist of Malayalam language. He was known for his poems which include Sargasangeetham, Mulankaadu, Padamudrakal, Aayisha and Oru Judas janikkunnu and for around 1300 songs he penned for 256 Malayalam films. He received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics in 1972 and was the winner of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyricist in its year of inception which he received three more times. He was also a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 1962.  His collaborations with G. Devarajan produced the golden era of Malayalam film music and many songs written and composed by these duo remain the ever green classics in Malayalam. Ramavarma is regarded as one of the most successful and critically acclaimed lyricist in the history of Malayalam cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumaran Asan</span> Indian poet

Mahakavi Kumaran Asan was a poet of Malayalam literature, Indian social reformer and a philosopher.He is known to have initiated a revolution in Malayalam poetry during the first quarter of the 20th century, transforming it from the metaphysical to the lyrical and his poetry is characterised by its moral and spiritual content, poetic concentration and dramatic contextualisation. He is one of the triumvirate poets of Kerala and a disciple of Sree Narayana Guru. He was awarded the prefix "Mahakavi" in 1922 by the Madras university which means "great poet".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G. Sankara Kurup</span> Indian Malayali poet and literary critic

G. Sankara Kurup, also referred to as Mahakavi G, was an Indian poet, essayist and literary critic of Malayalam literature. Known as one of the greats of Malayalam poetry, he was the first recipient of the Jnanpith Award―the highest Indian literary honor. He served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from 1968 to 1972 and received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest Indian civilian award, in 1967. He was also a recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Soviet Land Nehru Award.

Kumbalathuparambu Ayyappan, better identified as Sahodaran Ayyappan, was a social reformer, thinker, rationalist, journalist, and politician from Kerala, India. As a vocal follower of Sree Narayana Guru, he was associated with a number of events related to the Kerala reformation movement and was the organizer of Misra Bhojanam in Cherai in 1917. He founded Sahodara Sangam, and the journal Sahodaran and was the founder editor of the magazine Yukthivadi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugathakumari</span> Indian poet and activist (1934–2020)

Sugathakumari was an Indian poet and activist, who was at the forefront of environmental and feminist movements in Kerala, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. Kunhiraman Nair</span> Indian writer (1905–19978)

Panayanthitta Kunhiraman Nair, also known as Mahakavi P, was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. He was known for his romantic poems which detailed the natural beauty of his home state of Kerala in South India as well as the realities of his life and times. He received the inaugural Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 1959. He was also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V. T. Bhattathiripad</span> Indian social critic and dramatist

Vellithuruthi Thazhathu Karutha Patteri Raman Bhattathiripad (1896–1982), also known as V. T. Bhattathiripad, was an Indian social reformer, dramatist and an Indian independence activist. He was best known for his contributions in the reformation of the casteism and conservatism that existed in the Namboothiri community. He wrote a number of books which include a play, Adukkalayail Ninnu Arangathekku and his autobiography, Kanneerum Kinavum and many critics consider them as notable works in Malayalam literature. Kerala Sahitya Akademi honoured him with distinguished fellowship in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. V. Kunhiraman</span> Indian journalist and social reformer (1871 – 1949)

C. V. Kunhiraman was an Indian social reformer, journalist and the founder of Kerala Kaumudi daily. A follower of Sree Narayana Guru, Kunhiraman was the author of a number of books covering the genres of novels, short story, poetry, biographies and essays. He was one of the leaders involved in the Vaikom Satyagraha of Reformation movement in Kerala which led to the Temple Entry Proclamation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri</span> Indian poet (1939–2021)

Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri was an Indian writer and scholar of Malayalam literature. Known primarily for his poems, Namboothiri also contributed to other genres such as essays, translations and children's literature. Swathanthrathe Kurichu Oru Geetham, Bhoomigeethangal, Indiayenna Vikaaram and Charulata count among his notable works. The Government of India honored him with the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri in 2014 and the Government of Kerala awarded him the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary award in Malayalam, the same year. He was also a recipient of Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions, Asan Prize, Sahitya Akademi Award and Odakkuzhal Award.

Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup (1902–1980) was an Indian poet, playwright, translator, lexicographer and story writer of Malayalam. He was the author of a number of poetry anthologies, besides other works, and he translated Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Tulsi Ramayana, Tirukkuṛaḷ, the poems of Subramania Bharati and two cantos of The Light of Asia of Edwin Arnold into Malayalam. He also contributed in the preparation of a dictionary, Kairali Kosham. A recipient of the Odakkuzhal Award and Thirukural Award, Kurup received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 1966. Sahitya Akademi honoured him with their annual award in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olappamanna</span> Indian poet

Olappamanna Mana Subramanian Namboothirippad, better identified by his family name, Olappamanna , was an Indian poet of Malayalam literature. A former chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam and an author of 20 books of poetry, his poems were noted for their explicit social expressions. He received two awards from Kerala Sahitya Academy and another from Kendra Sahitya Academy, besides honours such as Government of Madras Poetry Prize, Odakkuzhal Award, N. V. Puraskaram, Asan Smaraka Kavitha Puraskaram and Ulloor Award.

Mancherath Thazhathethil Govindan (1919–1989) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature and a cultural activist from Kerala, India. He was known for his writings as well as for his efforts in assisting Anand to publish his debut novel, Aalkkottam, and in the production of Swayamvaram, the debut movie of Dadasaheb Phalke laureate, Adoor Gopalakrishnan. His body of work comprises short stories, poems, articles and plays. He also wrote the screenplay for Nokkukuthi, a 1983 film by Mankada Ravi Varma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veerankutty</span> Indian poet

Veerankutty is a Malayalam poet and former associate professor in Dept of Malayalam Govt College Madappally. He was born in Narayamkulam near Perambra in Kozhikode District, Kerala, India. Veerankutty worked as Head of Malayalam Department at MEASS College Areacode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N. N. Kakkad</span> Indian poet

Narayanan Nambuthiri Kakkad, commonly known as N. N. Kakkad, was an Indian poet of the Malayalam language. Known for works such as Saphalmee Yathra, Pathalathinde Muzhakkam and Changatham, he was a Sanskrit scholar and was known to have been proficient in painting and music. He was a recipient of several awards including Odakkuzhal Award, Asan Smaraka Kavitha Puraskaram, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry and Vayalar Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V. V. K. Valath</span> Malayalam writer and historian

Vadakke Valath Krishnan, commonly known as V. V. K. Valath, was an Indian writer, poet, toponymist and historian of Malayalam language. One of the pioneers of toponymy in Kerala, he focused on the origin of place names in the state as the subject of his works which are known for their attention to historic detail. He wrote poems, short-stories, novels, and over 400 historical articles and his most notable works are Rigvedathilude, Keralathile Stalacharitrangal, and poetry anthologies, Idimuzhakkam and Minnal Velicham. Kerala Sahitya Akademi awarded him their annual award for overall contributions in 1999. He was also a fellow of the Place Names Society and a recipient of the Pandit Karuppan Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Joseph</span> Malayalam writer (1954–2021)

Thomas Joseph was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. He received Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story in 2013 for his work, Marichavar Cinema KaanukayaaNu. He was also a recipient of SBT Literary Award, Delhi Short Story Award, K. A. Kodungallore Award, V. P. Sivakumar memorial Keli Award and the Children's literary institute Award. He died on 29 July 2021, at the age of 67.

Thattarassery Mathai Chummar, commonly identified as T. M. Chummar, was an Indian academic and writer of Malayalam literature, best known for his books on its history. An associate of G. Sankara Kurup and Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon, Chummar's books on Kunchan Nambiar and C. V. Raman Pillai detail their literary contributions. He was a recipient of the title Sahitya Nipunan, conferred on him by the Rajah of Cochin. The Kerala Sahitya Akademi honoured him with the distinguished fellowship in 1986.

Joseph Raphael, better identified as Ponjikkara Rafi, was an Indian essayist, playwright, short story writer and a novelist of Malayalam literature. His oeuvre consists of short story anthologies, novels, philosophical works and screenplays but he is best remembered for two novels, Daivadhoothan, regarded as the first Malayalam novel written in stream of consciousness narrative style, and Ora Pro Nobis, a historical novel based on the Dutch colonial rule. He was also the author of Kaliyugam, a philosophical work jointly written with his wife, Sabeena Rafi, which fetched him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Miscellaneous Works in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N. K. Jose</span> Indian historian (1929–2024)

N. K. Jose was an Indian historian who was President of the Kerala History Congress known for his studies in Dalit and Christian history in Kerala. Author of over 140 history and social history books, he was given the title Dalit Bandhu by Dalit organizations in 1990 in recognition of his contributions to Dalit studies and Dalit history.

Rosemary is a Malayalam language poet and translator from Kerala, India. She has received many awards including Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions in 2019. Her autobiography, Nilaavil Oru Panineerchampa was published in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ "Winners of SBT literary, media awards announced".
  2. ↑ "'കാലാ'യുടെ കവിതകൾ".
  3. ↑ "Malayalam Poetry : M.R. Renukumar's Poems". 20 August 2019.
  4. ↑ "Revisiting the past- The New Indian Express". Archived from the original on 15 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "Why brand yourself as a Dalit poet? | Kochi News – Times of India". The Times of India . 18 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Don't Want Caste chronicles the many shades of casteism in India".
  7. ↑ "Why brand yourself as a Dalit poet? | Kochi News – Times of India". The Times of India . 18 November 2011.
  8. ↑ "Kerala Literature Festival Speaker 2019 M. R. Renukumar". Archived from the original on 11 January 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  9. ↑ "Winners of SBT literary, media awards announced- The New Indian Express".
  10. ↑ "kerala sahithya academy award announced കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി പുരസ്‌കാരങ്ങൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു; എസ്. ഹരീഷിന്റെ 'മീശ' മികച്ച നോവൽ". www.twentyfournews.com. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.