K. Sachidanandan is a noted Indian poet and critic, writing in Malayalam and English. A pioneer of modern poetry in Malayalam, a bilingual literary critic, playwright, editor, columnist and translator, he is the former Editor of Indian Literature journal and the former Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. He is also a public intellectual of repute upholding secular anti-caste views, supporting causes like environment, human rights and free software and is a well known speaker on issues concerning contemporary Indian literature. He is the festival director of Kerala Literature Festival.
Moolayil Narayana Menon Vijayan, popularly known as Vijayan Mash was an Indian academic, orator, columnist and writer of Malayalam literature. Known for his leftist ideals and oratorical skills, Vijayan was the president of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham and served as the editor of Deshabhimani. He published a number of books of which Chithayile Velicham received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism in 1982.
George Menachery is a professor, anthropologist, indologist, historian of Syro Malabar Church and history of Kerala. He is the editor of the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India and the Indian Church History Classics. Menachery is also the recipient of the 'Order of Saint Gregory the Great', known as the title of "Chevalier".
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon was an Indian poet of Malayalam literature. Known for his works such as Kudiyozhikkal, Kannikkoythu and Mambazham, Menon was the founder president of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham, an organization of Kerala-based artists, writers and art and literature enthusiasts. He was a recipient of several honors including Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry, Vayalar Award and Odakkuzhal Award.
Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer, born Sambasivan but popularly known as Ulloor, was an Indian poet of Malayalam literature and a historian. He was one of the modern triumvirate poets of Kerala in the first half of the 20th century, along with Kumaran Asan and Vallathol Narayana Menon. Umakeralam, a mahakavya, and Kerala Sahitya Charithram, a comprehensive history of Malayalam language, are two of his works.
M. K. Sanu is a prominent Malayalam literary figure. He is a retired professor, critic, biographer, editor, translator, journalist, orator, social activist and humanist. He has authored over thirty-six books, translated four and edited ten. He is a permanent member of International body for Human rights. He is also the founding member of Mithram, School for Mentally Handicapped, in Mulanthuruthy village,Ernakulam District, Kerala.
Sooranad P. N. Kunjan Pillai was an Indian historian, researcher, lexicographer, poet, essayist, literary critic, orator, grammarian, educationist, and scholar of the Malayalam language, best remembered for his contributions in compiling Malayala Maha Nighantu, a lexicon. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padmashri in 1984 for his contribution to Malayalam literature and education. He was also a recipient of the Vallathol Award in 1992 and when the Government of Kerala instituted the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, their highest literary honour in 1993, he received the inaugural award.
Alappat Sreedhara Menon, known as A. Sreedhara Menon, was a south Indian historian from Kerala. He is best known as the State Editor (1958-68) of Kerala District Gazetteers (1961-1975). He served as registrar of the Kerala University from 1968-1977, before retiring in 1980.
S. Guptan Nair was an Indian scholar, academic, critic and writer of Malayalam literature. Known for his literary works as well as for his oratorical skills, Nair was a prolific writer with over 35 books to his credit. He was a distinguished fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and a recipient of several honours including Kendra Sahitya Academy Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award and Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the last one being the highest literary award of the Government of Kerala.
George Onakkoor is an Indian novelist who writes in Malayalam language. He was a Malayalam professor for over three decades at Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum, Kerala.
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.
Plakkiyil Chacko Devassia, often known as Mahakavi P. C. Devassia, was a Sanskrit scholar and poet from Kerala, India. In 1980 he won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Sanskrit for his Mahakavyam Kristubhagavatam. He has also received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for his overall contributions to Malayalam literature.
Akbar Kakkattil was an Indian short-story writer and novelist from Kerala state. His works are known for their unique narrative style which has an undertone of unfailing humour. Besides, the tales that he wrote centred on teachers and their foibles gave birth to a new genre in Malayalam literature. His 'Paadham 30' is the first teacher service story in Malayalam. His work, 'Sarga Sameeksha', a creative and critical interface of a young writer with the iconic writers of the old generation is perhaps the first of its kind among Indian languages.
Puthussery Ramachandran Pillai is an Indian poet of the Malayalam language. He is a scholar of Dravidian linguistics and has been a professor of Malayalam for more than three decades.
Thoniyan Puthiyapurayil Shihabuddin, better known as Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu or Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu ,(Malayalam: ശിഹാബുദ്ദീൻ പൊയ്ത്തുംകടവ്; born 29 October 1963) is an Indian writer, journalist, poet, orator and television personality. He is a creative writer in Malayalam who has been writing short stories, novellas, novels, essays and poems since 1982. His works have appeared in all leading Malayalam magazines viz. Mathrubhumi weekly, Malayala Manorama annuals, India Today, Bhashaposhini, Kerala Kaumudi and the Samakalika Malayalam weekly. Most of his books have run into multiple editions with the sales of each book crossing around 10,000 copies. His stories have been prescribed by the Kerala State Education Board, University of Calicut, Mahatma Gandhi University and Kerala University as text books. He has also been translated to English, Hindi, Tamil and Arabic. He has been felicitated with awards several times by organizations such as the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, various other literary and cultural societies in India and abroad. He has scripted and directed many tele-films and serials, for Doordarshan, Asianet and Surya TV, including the script for one of the first mega serials in the Malayalam television, Kasavu. As a literary journalist, Shihabuddin has associated with three major weeklies: Poonkavanam (Kozhikode), Pravaasachandrika (Dubai) and Gulf Life in the capacity of editor and chief editor. He has traveled extensively in Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, accepting the invitation of Malayali literary and cultural organizations. He was the Chief Programme Designer, Rahma Television Productions, in Kozhikode. Now Shihabuddin is working as periodical editor of Chandrika daily, in Kozhikode. His essay collection titled "Marujeevitham" that based on the Middle East diaspora published in 2014 had received well. Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu's books were translated into Arabic,Kannada,Tamil, Telugu, French and English. "Yarrikkum vendatha kan" his exclusive Tamil collection of short stories Translated by KV Shylaja, published by vamshi books, tiruvannamalai. Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu was born on 29 October 1963 at Poythumkadavu near Valapattanam in Kannur district, Kerala. He is married to Najma, now working in a Government Higher Secondary School near Pattambi as an English teacher, and the couple has 4 children. He has resided in Kunnamkulam, Thrissur district since 2000.
Vijayalakshmi is a Malayalam–language poet from the south Indian state of Kerala.
Sunil P. Ilayidom is an Indian writer and critic in the Malayalam language, who writes on politics, literature, art, and culture. He is a two-time recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.
Arya Gopi is a Malayalam poet from India with three Malayalam and one English books in her credit. Malakha Matsyam, Jeevante Vaakukal, Avasanathe Manushyan and Sob of Strings are her published works. Avasanathe Manushyan has won Vyloppilly Award 2014 and Government of Kerala Youth Icon Award 2016 besides bagging Sahitya Sree award for the same year. A regular face at literary events in Kerala, she recites poems at various programmes conducted by organisation such as Kendra Sahitya Akademy and TV channels. Her short stories are available on different anthologies. Daughter of poet P. K. Gopi and Komalam, she has won numerous awards including V T Kumaran Master Award, Editor Sukumaran Memorial Award, etc.
Kuttipuzha Krishna Pillai, was an Indian scholar, journalist, philosopher, atheist and critic of Malayalam language. Counted among the prominent literary critics of the language, he wrote a number of books covering the genres of literary criticism and philosophy. He presided over the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, chaired the advisory board of the Kerala Bhasha Institute as an ex-officio member and was a recipient of the Soviet Land Nehru Award.
