Chathanath Achuthanunni

Chathanath Achuthanunni (born in 1939) is a polyglot, Malayalam language writer and translator from Kerala, India. He received many awards including Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (1987) and Sahridayavedi Award (1988). In 2022 he received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize, a literary honour in India, presented by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters. In 2024, he received the Kairali Global Lifetime Achievement Prize for Researchers Award, presented by the Kerala government.

Biography Chathanath Achuthanunni was born on March 10, 1939, Chathanath, Guruvayur in present-day Thrissur district of Kerala to Menakaymal Vasudevanunnithan and Chathanath Madhavikuttyamma. His father Menakaimal, who was a polyglot scholar and poet, knew Malayalam, English, Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali languages.

Achuthanunni holds degrees including Sahitya Visarada, M.A. Sanskrit, M.A. Malayalam and Ph.D.

Awards and honors In 1986, Achuthanunni received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for his work "Alankarashastram Malayalathil" and in 1980, he received the Prof. C.N. Antony Award for his work "Reethidarshanam". In 2022 he received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize, a literary honour in India, presented by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.

In 2024, Chathanath Achuthanunni received the Kairali Global Lifetime Achievement Prize for Researchers Award, presented by the Kerala government to prominent scientists for their comprehensive contribution. In the same year he received the Professor S. Guptan Nair Award instituted by the Prof. S. Guptan Nair Foundation for teachers who have made major contributions to the field of culture. For his comprehensive contribution to Malayalam literature, he received the Balamaniyamma Award presented by the Kochi International Book Festival Committee, in 2025. The allegation was made by Dr. Shuba K. S., a college teacher. It was alleged that, An article by Achuthanunni in the November–December 2019 issue of Sahithya Vimarshanam magazine entitled 'Abhidhamuladhwani: Asangadhamaya oru sankalppam' have plagiarized ideas from the book 'Rasadhwani Siddhantam Upekshikkuka' published in 2013 by Shuba K.S. She also said that Chattannath Achuthanunni has imitated her sentence structure as well. However, Achuthanunni, who said that he had read Shuba's book only two days ago, clarified that nothing he says in his article is in Shuba's book and doubts that Shuba does not know Sanskrit properly, and added he was not interested in the controversy.

Personal life Achuthanunni and his wife Aivi lives in his house at Edappal, Malappuram district. The couple have two children, Ashis and Ashwathy.