WMukkuttiparambil Achuthan was an Indian academic, orator, and literary critic of Malayalam literature. Known for his works viz. Swathanthrya Samaravum Malayala Sahithyavum, Paschathya Sahitya Darshanam and Cherukadha Innale Innu, Achuthan was a recipient of several literary honours including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism and for Overall Contributions as well as the Padmaprabha Literary Award.
WKarthikayil Padmanabhan Appan, better known as K. P. Appan, was a renowned literary critic in Malayalam. Born in Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kerala, Appan worked as a Professor of Malayalam literature at SN College, Kollam, Kerala.
WE. M. Ashraf is a Malayalam writer, film critic and journalist. He is currently the director of Middle East, Kairali TV. He has written numerous books and articles in Malayalam language, most notably the biographies of veteran Malayalam writers Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and Sukumar Azhikode. His interview with late Indian painter M. F. Husain was published in Malayalam and later translated into Arabic and English.
WKoloth Thattarath Sukumaran, popularly known as Sukumar Azhikode was an Indian academic, orator, critic and writer of Malayalam literature, known for his contributions to Malayalam language and insights on Indian philosophy. He was a scholar in Sanskrit, Malayalam, and English languages and his work, Tatvamasi, published in 1984, is a notable work for its detailed interpretation of Indian philosophy, Vedas and Upanishads. He was a recipient of several honours including Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award and Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary award of the Government of Kerala. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2007, which he refused citing the award was a discrimination.
WPanikkassery Keshavan Balakrishnan was an Indian novelist and critic. A doyen of Malayalam literature, he is best known for his novel, Ini Njan Urangatte, a novel based on Mahabharata as well as a number of critical studies which include Chandu Menon Oru Padanam, Novel - Siddhiyum Sadhanayum, Kavyakala Kumaranasaniloode and Ezhuthachante Kala : Chila Vyasabharatha Patanangalum. His work 'Jathivyavasthayum Kerala Charitravum is a work in social history. Kerala Sahitya Akademi awarded him their annual award for novel in 1974. He was also a recipient of the Vayalar Award and other honours.
WM. M. Basheer is a Malayalam literary critic who has written more than 40 critical works on Malayalam poetry, short story and novel. He worked as a Professor of Malayalam in the University of Calicut. In 2008, the Kerala Sahithya Academy published his work on short story titled Malayala Cherukatha Sahithya Charithram in two volumes. He published his Ph.D. work on the poet Kumaranasan's manuscripts titled "Kumaranashante Rachanashilpam". B. M. Suhara is his wife renowned writer in Malayalam Fiction.
WMadathil Vasudevan, popularly identified as M. V. Devan, was an Indian painter, sculptor, writer, art critic and orator. Besides his artistic works, he was also known for his architectural designs for a number cultural institutions as well as for his contributions in founding Kerala Kalapeetom, Kochi-based cultural organization, Malayala Kalagramam, an art village in New Mahe and Kalagramam, another art village in Kollam. A former chairman of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, he was a recipient of several honours including the Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, the Vayalar Award and the Mathrubhumi Literary Award.
WMohiyuddin Nadukkandiyil Karassery, commonly known as M. N. Karassery, is an Indian writer and critic of Malayalam language. He is known for his writing and lectures on politics, literature, art and culture, and is a recipient of K.M. Seethi Shib Memorial Human Fraternity Award and holds the distinguished chair in Malayalam studies at University of Calicut.
WN. K. Krishnankutty, popularly known as Veloor Krishnankutty, was an Indian satirist of Malayalam literature. An author of 159 books, Krishnankutty was known for his humour-laced social criticism. Kerala Sahitya Akademy awarded him their annual award for miscellaneous works in 1974.
WMundanat Leelavathy is a Malayalam writer, literary critic, and educationist. She taught at various colleges in Kerala before retiring as Principal from Government Brennen College, Thalassery. During her long literary career, she won several awards including Kendra Sahithya Academy Award, and Kerala Sahithya Academy Award. She is a contemporary of such noted critics in Malayalam including K. M. George, S. Guptan Nair, N. Krishna Pillai, P. K. Balakrishnan, M.K. Sanu, and Sukumar Azhikode. Leelavathy is a recipient of the Padma Shri Award.
WKarikkatt Marathu Kuttikrishna Marar was an Indian essayist and literary critic of Malayalam literature. He was known for Bharathaparyadanam, a critical study of the Mahabharata, which is counted by many among the most influential books in Malayalam and was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.
WDr. K. Ayyappa Paniker, sometimes spelt "Ayyappa Panicker", was an influential Malayalam poet, literary critic, and an academic and a scholar in modern and post-modern literary theories as well as ancient Indian aesthetics and literary traditions. He was one of the pioneers of modernism in Malayalam poetry, where his seminal works like Kurukshethram (1960), considered a turning point in Malayalam poetry, Ayyappapanikkarude Krithikal and Chintha and several essays were an important influence on the playwrights of his generation.
WAkathoot Balakrishna Pillai (1889–1960), better known as Kesari Balakrishna Pillai, was a Malayalam writer, art and literary critic and journalist, considered by many as one of the most influential thinkers of modern Kerala. He was the eponymous founder of the newspaper, Kesari and was one of the three major figures in modern Malayalam literary criticism, along with Joseph Mundassery and M. P. Paul. Besides works such as Kesariyude Lokangal, Navalokam, Sankethika Nirupanangal Sahitya Nirupanangal, Rupamanjari, he also wrote a text in English under the title, Outlines of the Proto-Historic Chronology of Western Asia.
WSooranad P. N. Kunjan Pillai was an Indian historian, researcher, lexicographer, poet, essayist, literary critic, orator, grammarian, educationist, and scholar of the Malayalam language, best remembered for his contributions in compiling Malayala Maha Nighantu, a lexicon. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padmashri in 1984 for his contribution to Malayalam literature and education. He was also a recipient of the Vallathol Award in 1992 and when the Government of Kerala instituted the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, their highest literary honour in 1993, he received the inaugural award.
WS Rajasekharan is a literary critic and poet in the Malayalam language, in India. He was the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady, Kerala.
WB. Rajeevan is a Malayalam author and literary critic from Kerala, India.
WThachom Poyil Rajeevan, also known as T P Rajeevan, is an Indian novelist and poet originally from Palery who writes in Malayalam and English languages.
WM. K. Sanu is a Malayali writer, critic, retired professor, biographer, journalist, orator, social activist, and human rights activist. He is a prominent literary figure who has authored over thirty-six books. He is a permanent member of the International Body for Human Rights, as well as the founding member of the Mithram, a school for the mentally handicapped, in Mulanthuruthy, Ernakulam District, Kerala. He was a member of the award selection committee of the Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award; however, he resigned in September 2019. In 2011, he won the Padmaprabha Literary Award.
WK. Sachidanandan (1948) is a noted Indian poet and critic, writing in Malayalam and English. A pioneer of modern poetry in Malayalam, a bilingual literary critic, playwright, editor, columnist and translator, he is the former Editor of Indian Literature journal and the former Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. He is also social advocate for secular anti-caste views, supporting causes like environment, human rights and free software and is a well known speaker on issues concerning contemporary Indian literature. He is the festival director of Kerala Literature Festival.
WP. Surendran is an Indian writer, columnist, art critic and a philanthropist. He has published over 30 books, including works of fiction, travelogues and general writings, in Malayalam and also a collection of short stories in English. He is a teacher currently working in Kumaranellur school, Palakkad district. He is a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.