M. Leelavathy
Born (1927-09-16) 16 September 1927 (age 96)
Kottappadi, Thrissur
EducationPhD
Occupation(s)Critic, teacher
SpouseC. Purushothama Menon
ChildrenVinayakumar
Jayakumar
Parent(s)Kazhunkampilli Kunjunni Nambidi
Mundanat Nangayya Maandal
Awards

Mundanat Leelavathy (born 16 September 1927) is a Malayalam writer, literary critic and educationist.[1] 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 Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi 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.[2] Leelavathy is a recipient of the Padma Shri Award.[3]

Education and career

Leelavathy was born in Kottapadi near Guruvayur in Thrissur district (then in Malabar district of Madras State) on 16 September 1927.[4] She attended school in Kunnamkulam, another nearby town (Kottapadi is midway between Guruvayur and Kunnamkulam), before joining Maharaja's College, Ernakulam for her BA degree. She received her MA degree from Madras University. Leelavathy began her teaching career in 1949 as a lecturer at St. Mary's College, Thrissur. After a brief stint at Stella Maris College, Chennai, she joined Victoria College, Palakkad in 1952 and subsequently taught at Maharaja's College and Government Brennen College, Thalassery. She was awarded her PhD degree from Kerala University in 1972.[5] For a brief period of time, she also served as a Visiting Professor in University of Calicut. Leelavathy retired from Brennen College in 1983. She now lives in Thrikkakkara in Ernakulam district.

Awards and honours

During her long literary career, she won several awards and honours including Odakuzhal Award (1978)[5] and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (1980) for Varnaraji, Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award (1986) for Kavithadhwani, Nalapadan Award given by Nalapadan Memorial Cultural Society (1993) for Aadi Prabhandhangal Sahithyathil Lalithambika Antarjanam Award (1999), Vallathol Award (2002),[6] Basheer Award (2005),[7] Guptan Nair Memorial Award (2007),[8] Vayalar Award (2007) for Appuvinte Anweshanam,[9] and FACT MKK Nayar Award (2009).[10] Leelavathy is also a recipient of Padma Shri Award for her contribution to the Malayalam literature and education.[11] She won Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary prize in Kerala, in 2010, for her outstanding critical works.[12] She was also conferred with many other literary awards including the Mathrubhumi Literary Award (2011), P. S. John Award (2011),[13][14] K. P. Kesava Menon Award (2014),[15] and O. N. V. Literary Award (2020).[16]. In 2021, she was also awarded with the prestigious Kendra Sahitya Academy Fellowship.[17]

List of awards

Year Awards Work Reference
1979 Odakkuzhal Award Varnaraji
[5][18]
1980 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism Varnaraaji
[19]
1986 Sahitya Akademi Award for Critical study in Malayalam Kavitadwani
[19]
1999 Lalithambika Antharjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award Rosemary
[19]
2002 Vallathol Award
[6][19]
2004 Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award (Thayat Award)
[20]
2004 Deviprasadam Trust Award
[21]
2005 Basheer Award
[7][19]
2007 Guptan Nair Memorial Award
[19]
2007 Vayalar Award Appuvinte Anweshanam
[19]
2008 Padma Shri in Literature & Education field
[11][19]
2010 Ezhuthachan Puraskaram
[22]
2012 Mathrubhumi Literary Award
[23]
2018 Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize Sreemad Valmeeki Ramayana [24]
2020 O. N. V. Literary Award
[25]
2021 Thakazhi Memorial Award

[26]

References

  1. ^ "Nayar award for M. Leelavathy". The Hindu. 2 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  2. ^ Paniker, Ayyappa (1992). K. M. George (ed.). Modern Indian Literature, An Anthology. Vol. 2. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 254–255. ISBN 9788172013240.
  3. ^ "Padma Shri Awardees". india.gov.in. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  4. ^ "ആഘോഷങ്ങളില്ല; ലീലാവതി ടീച്ചര്‍ക്ക് ഇന്ന് 93-ാം പിറന്നാള്‍". 16 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Labour India - Our Experts". labourindia.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Literary Awards". kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original on 24 May 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  7. ^ a b "The Hindu images". The Hindu. 3 September 2005. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  8. ^ "Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Around the City". The Hindu. 7 February 2007. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  9. ^ "Vayalar award for M. Leelavathy". The Hindu. 11 October 2007. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Nayar award for M. Leelavathy". The Hindu. 2 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  11. ^ a b "Padma award winners from Kerala". The Hindu. 26 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 January 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  12. ^ "ഡോ.എം.ലീലാവതിക്ക് എഴുത്തച്ഛന്‍ പുരസ്‌കാരം". Mathrubhumi. 1 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  13. ^ "Leelavati chosen for Mathrubhumi Literary Award". The Hindu Business Line. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  14. ^ "M Leelavathi to be honoured". Kerala Kaumudi. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  15. ^ "ഡോ. എം. ലീലാവതിക്ക് കേശവമേനോന്‍ പുരസ്‌കാരം". DC Books. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  16. ^ "Kerala: Noted critic M Leelavathy bags this year's ONV literary award". The New Indian Express. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  17. ^ "M Leelavathy, Ruskin Bond win Kendra Sahitya Akademi Fellowship".[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ "Odakkuzhal Award". keralaculture.org.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h "Acclaimed Malayalam writer Leelavathy M wins Kendra Sahitya Akademi award".
  20. ^ "Thayattu Award for literary criticism". Keralaculture.org. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Awards, Trusts and Scholarships: 2: Deviprasaadam Trust". Namboothiri.com. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Ezhuthachan Puraskaram for critic M. Leelavathy". The Hindu. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  23. ^ "Leelavati chosen for Mathrubhumi Literary Award". The Hindu Business Line. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  24. ^ "AKADEMI TRANSLATION PRIZES (1989-2018)". Sahitya Akademi. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  25. ^ "Kerala: Noted critic M Leelavathy bags this year's ONV literary award". The New Indian Express. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  26. ^ "Thakazhi memorial award presented to Leelavathi". The Hindu. 18 April 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 June 2022.

External links

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Sahitya Akademi Award for Malayalam
Recipients of Ezhuthachan Puraskaram
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Malayalam literature
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Vayalar Award or Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award
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