V. Unnikrishnan Nair

Summary

Vasupurath Unnikrishnan Nair (9 January 1893 – 19 May 1985) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, best known as a contemporary and associate of Vallathol Narayana Menon. He was the author of a number of books which include Tagorinte Nadakangal, the translation of three plays written by Rabindranath Tagore into Malayalam. Nair honoured by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi with the distinguished fellowship in 1981.

V. Unnikrishnan Nair
Born(1893-01-09)9 January 1893
Died19 May 1985(1985-05-19) (aged 92)
Kerala
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Essayist
  • poet
  • translator
  • biographer
SpouseGauri Amma
Parents
  • Rama Kurup (father)
  • Madhavi Amma (mother)
Awards

Biography edit

 
Madras Christian College

V. Unnikrishnan Nair was born on 9 January 1893 at Pallikkunnu, a small village in the present-day Kannur district of the south Indian state of Kerala to Sankaranveettil Rama Kurup and Madhavi Amma.[1] After early schooling at Tirur Lower Primary School, he completed high school education at two schools in Ottapalam and Kannur and joined the Government Brennen College, Thalassery from where he completed the pre-university course. Subsequently, he graduated with honours from Madras Christian College and returned to Brennen College as a faculty. However, his stay there lasted only two months as he was appointed at the Central Revenue Department in Chennai in 1920.[2] He held various posts to reach the position of the deputy director of inspection and when the commercial taxation department was established in Odisha, he was selected to head the department. He superannuated from service in 1950.[1]

Nair, who was married to Gauri Amma, died on 19 May 1985, at the age of 92, at Kozhikode.[1]

Legacy and honours edit

Unnikrishnan Nair published over ten books, including two biographies of Vallathol Narayana Menon and Mahakavi Kuttamath.[3] It was he who translated three plays of Rabindranath Tagore viz. Visarjan, Chira Kumar Sabha and Dakghar into Malayalam which were compiled as the first volume of the series, Tagorinte Natakangal.[4] Besides, he translated three more Bengali works, Vinodini of Tagore[5] and Rajani and Kapalakundala of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.[6] He presided over the Kerala Kala Parishad during 1954–56 and sat in the executive councils of the Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Sahitya Akademi and Kerala Sahitya Parishad.[2]

The Government of Madras honoured Nair with their annual award in 1952 and he received the Puthelan Award in 1977. In 1989, he was inducted as a distinguished fellow by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi.[7]

Bibliography edit

Biographies edit

  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1962). Vallathol. Mathrubhumi: Mathrubhumi.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair, V. (1969). Mahakavi Kuttamathu. Calicut: Mathrubhumi.

Other works edit

  • Unnikrishnan nair. V (1964). Kalidasahredayam. Mathrubhumi: Mathrubhumi.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1952). Rajayogini. Mangalodayam: Mangalodayam.
  • Unnikrishnan nair. V (1951). Kaladippadukal. Mangalodayam: Mangalodayam.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1952). Urvvasi. Mangalodayam: Mangalodayam.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1954). Ravirasmikal. Kamalalaya: Kamalalaya.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1098). Kathamalika. B. V. Book depot, Trichur: B. V. Book depot.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1972). Sathyavathy.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1964). Kalidasa Hridayam.

Translations edit

  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1967). Tagorinde Nadakangal. S P C S: S P C S.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair. V (1988). Vinodini. Kozhikode mathrubhumi: Kozhikode mathrubhumi.
  • Unnikrishnan Nair, V.; Unnikrishnan Nair, V. (1968). Ravikiranangal: Tagore kavithakal. Kottayam: S.P.C.S.
  • Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1989). Kapaalakundala. Translated by Unnikrishnan Nair, V. Kozhikode, Mathrubhumi Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b Mohan Lal (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 4428–. ISBN 978-81-260-1221-3.
  3. ^ "List of works". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  4. ^ D. S. Rao (2004). Five Decades: The National Academy of Letters, India : a Short History of Sahitya Akademi. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 103–. ISBN 978-81-260-2060-7.
  5. ^ Tagore, Rabindranath (1988). Vinodini. Translated by Unnikrishnan Nair, V.
  6. ^ Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1989). Kapaalakundala. Translated by Unnikrishnan Nair, V. Kozhikode, Mathrubhumi Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ "Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.

External links edit

  • "Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  • "Conferring Fellowship". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  • "Handwriting". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.