M. K. Sanu

Mangalath Kesavan Sanu was an Indian Malayalam-language writer, critic, academic, biographer, journalist, orator, social activist and human rights activist. He authored at least 36 books.
Sanu was 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 Ramavarma Literary Award; however, he resigned in September 2019. In 2011, he won the Padmaprabha Literary Award.

Background

Sanu was born on 27 October 1928 in Thumpoly in the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore, as the son of M. P. Kesavan and K. P. Bhavani.
He died from pneumonia at Amrita Hospital in Ernakulam, on 2 August 2025, at the age of 96.

Career

In 1955 and 1956, Sanu joined the Sree Narayana College and Maharaja's College as a lecturer. He retired as a professor in 1983. In 1984, he was elected as the President of Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham and the director of Sree Narayana Study Centre, University of Kerala in 1985, followed by an appointment to Sree Narayana Chair, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam in 1997.
In 1987, he was elected as an Member of the [Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA] from Ernakulam Assembly constituency. In 1991, he joined Kumkumam Weekly, Kollam, as the chief editor. He became the elected President of the Vayalar Award Memorial Trust in 2005.

Recognition

2011 – Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for the biography "Basheer: Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan"
2011 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award for overall contributions
2012 – Pavanan foundation India's Award for 2011 for his Autobiography "Karmagathi"
2013 – Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary honour given by the Kerala government
2013 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award for Overall Contribution (T. K. Ramakrishnan Award)
2014 – Father Vadakkan Puraskaram
2015 – P. Kesavadev Literary Award
2020 – Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award for Kesari Oru Kaalaghattathinte Srishtaavu
2021 – Chavara Samskruthy Puraskar by Chavara Cultural Centre
2022 – D.Litt. by Mahatma Gandhi University

Works

Autobiography

Karmagathi – 2010

Translations

Controversies

Sanu resigned from the award selection committee and chairmanship of the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust in September 2019, specifying that he was suffering from health issues. A few days later, during an interview, he clarified the controversy of his resignation from the Trust. Sanu stated that he was being pressurised to select a book which, according to him, scored the least during evaluation. He also said that the piece Nireeshwaran by author V. J. James had scored the highest points in the last stage of the assessment. Later in September 2019, VRMT chose Nireeshwaran by V. J. James for the Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award 2019.