M. Mukundan

Maniyambath Mukundan (born 10 September 1942) is an Indian author of Malayalam literature and a former diplomat. He worked as a cultural attaché at the Embassy of France in Delhi from 1961 to 2004, while concurrently working as an author. Many of his early works are set in Mahe (Mayyazhi), his homeland, which earned him the moniker Mayyazhiyude Kathakaaran (Mayyazhi's storyteller). He is known to be one of the pioneers of modernity in Malayalam literature. Some of his best known works include Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil, Daivathinte Vikrithikal, Kesavante Vilapangal, and Pravasam.

He has received several literary awards, including Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Crossword Book Award, JCB Prize, and the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram (the highest literary award of the Government of Kerala). He is also a recipient of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres of the Government of France. Mukundan worked as a cultural attaché at the New Delhi office of the Embassy of France in Delhi from 1961 to 2004. He concurrently worked as an author.

Literary career His first literary work was a short story published in 1961 while the first novel, Delhi was published in 1969. Mukundan has so far published 12 novels which include his later works such as Adithyanum Radhayum Mattu Chilarum, Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha, Kesavante Vilapangal and Nritham and ten collections of short stories (which totals 171 in numbers till 2012). Adithyanum Radhayum Mattu Chilarum is a fictional story which dethrone the time from the narrative, it gives the readers a new method of writing. Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha reveals how Vasundhara, an actress has been insulted in the course of acting due to some unexpected situations. It proclaims the postmodern message that martyrs are created not only through ideologies, but through art also. Kesavante Vilapangal (Kesavan's Lamentations) one of his later works tells the story of a writer Kesavan who writes a novel on a child named Appukkuttan who grows under the influence of E. M. S. Namboodiripad. Daivathinte Vikrithikal has been translated into English and published By Penguin Books India.

Three of his novels were made into feature films in Malayalam. He also co-wrote the screenplay of Daivathinte Vikrithikal (1992) for which he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Story. His novel Pravasam (sojourn in non-native land) is the story of a Malayali whose journeys carry him around the world. Delhi Gadhakal (Tales from Delhi), a novel published in November 2011 is his recollections in India's capital city, New Delhi.

Mukundan served as the president of Kerala Sahitya Akademi from October 2006 until March 2010.

Awards and honours

Mukundan received Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel in 1973 for Ee Lokam Athiloru Manushyan. This was followed by Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992 when Daivathinte Vikrithikal (God's Mischief) was selected for the award; the novel also received the N.V. Puraskaram. He received two honours in 1998, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres of the Government of France and the Muttathu Varkey Award. He received the Vayalar Award in 2003, for Kesavante Vilapangal (Kesavan's Lamentations) and three years later, the English translation of Kesavan's Lamentations received the 2006 Crossword Book Award. He also received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship the same year. He is also a recipient of M. P. Paul Award. In 2017, he received the T. K. Ramakrishnan Award, awarded as part of the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Awards, for his overall contribution.

Mukundan received the JCB prize for literature in 2021 for his book Delhi: A Soliloquy. His novel Nritham Cheyyunna Kudakal received the Basheer Award in 2022. In 2023, he received the Thakazhi Award. His most recent novel Ningal won the Padmarajan Award in 2023.

Works Novels Year Title Publisher Ref. 1969 Aakashathinu Chuvattil(Beneath the Sky) Kottayam: SPCS 1969 Delhi Thrissur: Current Books 1970 Avilayile Sooryodayam(Sunrise at Avila) Thrissur: Current Books 1972 Haridwaril Mani Muzhangunnu(Bells are Tolling in Haridwar) Kottayam: NBS 1972 Ee Lokam Athiloru Manushyan(This World, In it a Man) Calicut: Poorna 1974 Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil(On the Banks of River Mayyazhi) Kottayam: SPCS 1975 Kootam Thetti Meyunnavar Calicut: Poorna 1976 Oru School Master Kottayam: Priyamvada 1977 Seetha Kottayam: SPCS 1982 Ravum Pakalum(Day and Night) Kottayam: SPCS 1984 Kili Vannu Vilichappol(When the Bird Came Calling) Kottayam: DC Books 1989 Daivathinte Vikrithikal(God's Mischief) Kottayam: DC Books 1993 Adityanum Radhayum Pinne Mattu Chilarum(Adityan, Radha and the Others) Kottayam: DC Books 1996 Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha(The Tragic Story of a Young Dalit Woman) Kottayam: DC Books 1999 Kesavante Vilapangal(Kesavan's Lamentations) Kottayam: DC Books 2000 Nrittam(The Dance) Kottayam: DC Books 2005 Pulayappattu(The Song of the Pulayas) Calicut: Mathrubhumi 2008 Pravasam(Exile) Kottayam: DC Books 2011 Delhi Gadhakal(Tales from Delhi) Kottayam: DC Books 2015 Kuda Nannakkunna Choyi(Choyi, Who Mends Umbrellas) Kottayam: DC Books 2017 Nrutham Cheyyunna Kutakal(Dancing Umbrellas) Kottayam: DC Books 2023 Ningal(You) Kottayam: DC Books

Novelettes Year Title Publisher Ref. 1979 Charlie Master Calicut: Poorna 1986 Aval Paranju Varoo(collection of novelettes) Calicut: Malayalam Pub. 1989 Nagnanaya Thampuran(The Naked Lord) Calicut: Malayalam Pub. 1989 Madamma Calicut: Poorna 1993 Ezhamathe Poovu(The Seventh Flower) Kottayam: NBS

Short story collections Year Title Publisher Ref. 1967 Veedu (Home) Thrissur: Current Books 1969 Nadiyum Thoniyum Thrissur: Current Books 1971 Vesyakale Ningalkkorambalam Kottayam: SPCS 1973 Anchara Vayasulla Kutti Trivandrum: Navadhara 1977 Ezhamathe Poovu(collection of 11 stories) Calicut: Poorna 1982 Thiranjedutha Kathakal(Selected Stories) Kottayam: DC Books 1983 Hridayavathiyaya Penkutty Konni: Venus Book Depot 1985 Thattathippenninte Kalyanam(The Marriage of the Goldsmith's Daughter) Kottayam: Current Books 1988 Thevidissikkili(The Whoring Bird) Kottayam: Current Books 1990 Kallanum Polisum(The Thief and the Police) Kottayam: Current Books 1990 Kathavaseshan(new edition of Veedu) Kottayam: Current Books 1994 Russia Kottayam: DC Books 1995 Kannadiyude Kazcha(The Eye of the Mirror) Kottayam: DC Books 2004 Pavadayum Bikiniyum Kottayam: DC Books 2004 Nagaravum Sthreeyum Calicut: Mathrubhumi 2008 Mukundante Kathakal Thrissur: Current Books 2009 Dinosarukalute Kalam Kottayam: DC Books 2009 Nattumpuram Kannur: Kairali Books 2009 Mukundante Kathakal Sampoornam Kottayam: DC Books 2013 Thanner Kudiyante Thandu Calicut: Mathrubhumi

Non-fiction Enthanu Aadhunikatha? (Calicut: Poorna, 1976)

Memoirs Anubhavam Ormma Yathra (Calicut: Olive, 2014)

Works translated 1999. On the Banks of the Mayyazhi. Trans. Gita Krishnankutty. Chennai: Manas. 2002. Sur les rives du fleuve Mahé. Trans. Sophie Bastide-Foltz. Actes Sud. 2002. God's Mischief. Trans. Prema Jayakumar. Delhi: Penguin. 2004. Adityan, Radha, and Others. Trans. C Gopinathan Pillai. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. 2005. The Train that Had Wings: Selected Short Stories of M. Mukundan. trans. Donald R. Davis, Jr. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 2006. Kesavan's Lamentations. Trans. A.J. Thomas. New Delhi: Rupa. 2007. Nrittam: A Malayalam Novel. Trans. Mary Thundyil Mathew. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press.