KOCHI: Writer, literary critic and orator Prof M K Sanu passed away in Kochi on Saturday. The 98-year-old author, who allegedly suffered a hip bone fracture after he tripped and fell at his house ‘Sandhya’ at Karikkamuri, breathed his last at a private hospital at 5.35 pm.
The body will be brought to his house at Karikkamuri at 8 am on Sunday and will be kept for public homage at Ernakulam Town Hall from 10 am to 4 pm. The funeral will be held at Ravipuram Crematorium at 5 pm.
A teacher by profession, M K Sanu was a voracious reader and penned around 70 books, including literary criticism, children’s literature, interpretations, travelogues, biographies and essays. As a lecturer in Malayalam at Maharaja’s College in Kochi, he earned a wealth of students who revered him as their guide and mentor. His students include writers, bureaucrats and filmstars like Mammootty.
Born as the son of M C Kesavan and K P Bhavani of Thumpoli in Alappuzha on 27 October 1927, Sanu was deeply influenced by the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru. Growing up in a casteist society and facing discrimination, Sanu remained a liberal in thought and consistently raised his voice for the rights of the underprivileged.
He was elected to the state assembly from Ernakulam as a Left independent in 1987 but was not interested in politics. “I am a supporter of the leftist ideology, but I always wanted to stay away from politics. It was my friends who convinced me to contest the election in 1987 but later I realised that politics is not my cup of tea. Leaders of all political parties visit me,” he had told TNIE in an interaction two years ago.
M K Sanu, who retired from government service in 1983, was elected the president of the Progressive Literary Writers Forum in 1984. He also served as the president of Kerala Sahitya Akademi and the director of the Kerala University Sree Narayana Study Centre.
He was honoured with several awards, including the National Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Vayalar Award, Padma Prabha Award and the Children’s Literature Institute Award.
His important works include Changampuzha Krishna Pillai Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam, Basheer, Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan, Asthamikkatha Velicham, Urangatha Maneeshi, Mrithyunjayam, Kavya Jeevitham, Irulum Velichavum, among others. His autobiography Karma Gathi was published in 2010.
M K Sanu’s wife, N Ratnamma, passed away in 2023. He is survived by his sons M S Ranjith (Retired, Cochin Port), M S Harris (Manager, Energy Management Services, Dubai); daughters M S Rekha, M S Geetha (Retired Head of Hindi Department, St Paul’s College Kalamassery), M S Seetha (Retired, Social Justice Department); sons-in-law C K Krishnan and Dr Prasanth Kumar; and daughters-in-law C V Maya, P V Jyothi and Mini Harris.