Prof. M K Sanu, Kerala's cultural icon, passes away at 97

Kochi: Prof. M K Sanu, the calm and inspiring presence who helped shape Kerala’s political and cultural consciousness for decades, is no more. A writer, teacher, orator, and public intellectual who stood tall across generations, Sanu passed away at the age of 97. Through his writings and speeches, he became a revered figure among those who enriched Malayalam’s creative and critical traditions.

He breathed his last at 5:35 pm. on Saturday at Amrita Hospital, Edappally. He had been admitted on July 25 following a fall that caused a hip fracture. Though he underwent emergency surgery, complications including breathing difficulties and pneumonia worsened his condition. While in intensive care, he suffered a heart attack which led to his death.

His body will be brought to his residence ‘Sandhya’ at Karikkamuri Crossroad on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. After a public homage at Ernakulam Town Hall at 10 am., the cremation will take place at 4 p.m. at Ravipuram crematorium.

Spanning decades, M K Sanu’s multifaceted public life,as writer, teacher, orator, and social worker, has now come to a close. He served as a teacher at SN College, Kollam, and at government colleges in Kottayam, Chittur, Kozhikode, and Ernakulam. He retired in 1983 from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.

Rooted in progressive values, Sanu found his literary voice alongside Kerala’s renaissance and leftist movements. He authored more than 50 books across genres including literary criticism, interpretation, children’s literature, biography, and fiction.

He served as the state president of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham in 1986 and as the president of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi from 1988 to 1991.

Some of his major works include Avadharanam, Changampuzha Krishna Pillai: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam, Basheer, Ekantaveethiyile Avadhoothan, Narayana Guru Swami, Sahodaran Ayyappan, M Govindan, Aashan: Padanathinu Oru Mukhavura, Yukthivadi M C Joseph, Asthamikkatha Velicham, and Urangatha Maneeshi. His autobiography Karmagathi remains one of his most beloved works.

Sanu was the recipient of numerous awards including the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Vayalar Award, Central and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards, Deshabhimani Literary Award, and the Kerala Jyothi Award, the state’s highest civilian honour.

In 1987, he was elected as an MLA from the Ernakulam constituency as an independent candidate supported by the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

He was born on October 27, 1928, in Mangalath House at Thumpoly in Alappuzha district, to M C Keshavan and K P Bhavani.

His wife, Ratnamma, had predeceased him. He is survived by five children: M S Ranjith (Retired Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer, Cochin Port Trust), M S Rekha, Dr. M S Geetha (Retired Professor, St. Paul's College, Kalamassery), M S Seetha (State Department of Social Justice), and M S Harris (Engineer, Dubai).

His sons- and daughters -in -law are C V Maya, C K Krishnan (Indian Aluminium Company), P V Jyothi (Retired Municipal Secretary), Mini (Electrical Engineer, Dubai), and Dr. Prashanth Kumar (Retired Head of English Department, Sree Sankaracharya University, Kalady).