Poet Neelamperoor Madhusoodanan Nair, who has been associated with the progressive movements in the State, passed away at a private hospital here on Saturday. He was 84.
Born at Neelamperoor in Kuttanad, he lived much of his life in Thiruvananthapuram, where he worked as a research officer in the Industries Department. The poet in him emerged in the public sphere around the 1960s, when he along with writer P.K. Balakrishnan, E.N. Muralidharan Nair and others launched the Navadhara Co-operative Society to promote modernist, progressive writings.
Over the decades that followed, he wrote more than 30 books, including poetry collection and children’s literature. Though an atheist, his deep knowledge of the Mahabharatha came through in much appreciated works like Mousalaparvam.
Later, he became associated with the Purogamana Kalasahithya Sangham, and served as its office-bearer in various positions. In 2000, his poetry collection Chamatha won the Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award. He served as the editor of the children’s magazine Thathamma.
Major works
The other major works include Urangum Munbu, Amaran, Eettilam, Ithile Varika, Sooryanil Ninnoral, Kiliyum Mozhiyum, Ambilippoookkal, Edisonte Katha and Phalitha Chinthakal. He also wrote lyrics for a few Malayalam film songs.
Condoling his death, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Neelamperoor was a poet who gave valuable contributions to the progressive literary movement in the State through his poems as well as cultural interventions.
