Malayalam literary critic M K Sanoo passes away

Kochi: Malayalam literary critic and Professor M K Sanoo passed away on Saturday. He was 97. Known lovingly as "Sanoo Mash" among Malayalis, he was a revered figure in Kerala’s cultural sphere. He died at 5.35 pm while undergoing treatment at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi. He sustained a hip fracture following a fall at home on July 25. He was taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery, and during the postoperative period, he developed breathing difficulty and desaturation. He was shifted to the Intensive Care unit and was being treated for pulmonary oedema and pneumonia.

His body will be taken to his residence, ‘Sandhya’ on Karakkamuri Road, Ernakulam, by 8 am on Sunday, where public viewing will be held from 9 am to 10 am. This will be followed by another public viewing at Ernakulam Town Hall from 10 am. The funeral will take place at 5 pm at the Ravipuram public crematorium.

Justice Devan Ramachandran, MP Hibi Eden, MLA T J Vinod, CPM state secretariat member C N Mohanan, and CPM district secretary S Satheesh paid final respects to Sanoo at the Amrita Hospital on Saturday. 

A prolific writer, teacher, thinker, orator and former legislator, Sanoo nurtured generations of students. He authored over 40 books and received numerous honours, including the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram.

Born on October 27, 1928, in Thumpoly, Alappuzha, to M C Keshavan and K P Bhavani, Sanoo earned his MA in Malayalam from University College, Thiruvananthapuram, securing first rank. He began his career as a schoolteacher and later taught in various government colleges.

His first book, Anchu Sastra Nayakanmar, was published in 1958. His 1960 work Kaatum Velichavum marked his entry into literary criticism. Sanoo carved a distinct path in the field, offering critiques marked by clarity, grace and intellectual strength. Influenced by leftist ideals and rooted in the philosophy of Sree Narayana Guru, Sanoo championed renaissance values through his writings and speeches. Writer K Balakrishnan once described M K Sanoo, along with Mundasseri and Sukumar Azhikode, as among Kerala’s greatest orators.

Sanoo made unmatched contributions to Malayalam biographical literature. His acclaimed biography Changampuzha Krishna Pillai: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam remains the definitive work on the romantic poet. He also authored Ekanthaveethiyile Avadhoothan on Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Urangatha Maneeshi on P K Balakrishnan, Asthamikkatha Velicham on Albert Schweitzer, and Yukthivadi M C Joseph. He undertook an in-depth study of Kumaran Asan’s poetry as well.

He retired from service in 1983. A year later, he became president of the Purogamana Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Writers’ Association). In 1987, he won the Ernakulam assembly seat as a Left-backed independent but later withdrew from active politics. He also served as chairman of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and director of the Sree Narayana Study Centre at the University of Kerala.

Among his many honours are the Sahitya Akademi Award (Central and State), Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Vayalar Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for overall contribution, Padmaprabha Award and the Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature Award. He also penned an autobiography titled Karmagathi.

He is survived by his wife N Ratnamma and children Ranjith, Rekha, Geetha, Seetha and Harris.

Notable works: Changampuzha Krishna Pillai: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam, Ashanthiyil Ninnum Shanthiyilekku: A Preface to Asan Studies, Ivar Lokathe Snehichavar, M Govindan, Yukthivadi M C Joseph, Basheer: Ekanthaveethiyile Avadhoothan, Asthamikkatha Velicham, Urangatha Maneeshi, Karmagathi, Mrithyunjayam: Kavyajeevitham, Irulum Velichavum, Rajaveedhi, Chumarile Chitrangal, Prabhatadarshanam, Avadharanam, Thazhvarayile Sandhya, Sahodaran K Ayyappan.