# M. K. Sanu

M. K. Sanu (born 27 October 1926) is an Indian Malayalam-language writer, critic, retired professor, biographer, journalist, orator, social activist, and human rights activist. He 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 Ramavarma Literary Award; however, he resigned in September 2019. In 2011, he won the Padmaprabha Literary Award.

## Personal life

Sanu was born on 27 October 1926 in Thumpoly in the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore.

## 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 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 (other category literature) 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 (other category literature) (Sakti Erumeli 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

### Children's literature

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Sree Narayana Gurudevan | 1983 | Vivekodayam Printing & Publishing Co. | Irinjalakuda |
| Sree Narayana Guru | 1999 | SPCS | Kottayam |
| Jeevithasanuvil | 2007 | Balasahitya Prakasham | Edappally |

### Criticism

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Kaattum Velichavum | 1960 | NBS | Kottayam |
| Chakravaalam | 1962 | Sahitya Nilayam Publishing House | Kochi |
| Manninu Manninte Gunam | 1964 | Vidyartimitram | Kottayam |
| Prabhathadarsanam | 1970 | Poorna Publications | Kozhikode |
| Chumarile Chitrangal | 1971 | P.K Brothers | Kozhikode |
| Rajaveedhi | 1971 | NBS | Kottayam |
| Avadhaaranam | 1984 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| Anubhoothiyude Nirangal | 1986 | SPCS | Kottayam |
| Athirvarampukalillathe | 2000 | SPCS | Kottayam |
| Unnathathmakkalude Jeevaraktham | 2002 | Mathrubhoomi Publishing Co. | Kozhikode |
| Asaanthiyilninnu Saanthiyilekku | 2003 | Current Books | Kottayam |
| Ente Vazhiyampalangal | 2004 | Green Books | Thrissur |
| Ezhuthinte Naanarthangal | 2005 | Green Books | Thrissur |
| Vimarsanathile Raajasilpi | 2005 | Maarar Saahitya Prakaasham | Kozhikode |
| Thuranna Jaalakam | 2006 | Kavya Books | Mavelikkara |
| Kaavyathathwa Praveshika | 2008 | DC Books | Kottayam |

### Interpretations

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Aadhyatma Ramayanam | 2004 | Mathrubhoomi Publishing Co. | Kozhikode |
| Sree Maha Bhagavatham | 2008 | Green Books | Thrissur |

### Travelogues

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Anubhavangal Prathyaasakal | 1985 | Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham | Trivandrum |

### Biographies

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Asthamikkatha Velicham | 1962 | Poorna Publications | Kozhikode |
| Narayanaguru Swami | 1976 | Vivekodayam Printing & Publishing Co. | Iringalakuda |
| Sahodaran. K. Ayyappan | 1980 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| Changampuzha Krishnapilla: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam | 1988 | SPCS | Kottayam |
| Sahodaran Ayyappan: Oru Kalaghattathinte Silpi | 1989 | Sree Narayanaguru Samskara Samiti | Kollam |
| Mruthyunjayam Kavyajeevitham | 1996 | S.N Chandrika Educational Trust | Iringalakuda |
| Parvathy Amma: Asaranarude Amma | 2000 | Sree Narayana Sevika Samajam | Aluva |
| M Govindan | 2002 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| Yukthivaadi M.C Joseph | 2002 | Dept. of Cultural Publications, Govt. of Kerala | Trivandrum |
| Basheer: Ekantha Veedhiyile Avadhoothan | 2007 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| K.C Mamman Mappila | 2008 | Kerala Sahitya Akademi | Thrissur |

### Memoirs

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Thaazhvarayile Sandhya: Parts I & II | 1992 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| Ivar Lokathe Snehichavar | 1999 | Prabhath Book House | Trivandrum |

### Collected essays

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Sree Narayana Sandhesam | 2000 | Lalu Books | Kottayam |
| Ethra Sokamayam Jeevitham | 2004 | Haritham Books | Kozhikode |

### Translations

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Anchu Sastra Nayakanmar (Five Major Scientists) | 1958 | Southern Languages Book Trust | Madras |
| Viswasathilek Veendum (Recovery of Faith) | 1959 | Southern Languages Book Trust | Madras |
| American Sahityam | 2000 | SPCS | Kottayam |
| Guide | 1989 | Sahitya Akademi | New Delhi |

### Edited works

| Work | Year | Publisher | Place |
| Sahodara Saptati | 1960 | Sahodaran Ayyappan Saptati Celebration Committee | Ernakulam |
| Kumaranasante Kavyaprapancham | 1974 | Navodhana Samiti | Ernakulam |
| Sahodarante Padyakritikal | 1981 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| Sree Narayana Sameeksha | 1987 | Sree Narayana Study Centre, University of Kerala | Trivandrum |
| Kusumathinte Kritikal | 1989 | DC Books | Kottayam |
| Basheer: Varthamanthinte Bhavi | 1994 | Asayam Books | Kozhikode |
| Kudumba Vijnana Kosham | 1999 | Maanas Foundation | Kozhikode |
| Kochi 2000 | 2000 | Cochin Corporation | Ernakulam |
| T.K Ramakrishnan | 2001 | CPI (M) Dist. Committee | Ernakulam |
| Changampuzha: Selected Poems | 2008 | Green Books | Thrissur |
| Selected Essays | 2008 | Kerala Sahitya Akademi | Thrissur |

## Controversies

Sanu resigned from the award selection committee and chairmanship of the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust (VRMT) 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 pressurized 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.