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{{short description|Indian dramatist}}
{{Other people5|K. M. Panikkar|K. N. Panikkar|K. Ayyappa Panicker}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kavalam Narayana Panicker
| image = Kavalam.jpg
| image_size = 225px
| alt =
| caption = Kavalam Narayana Panicker
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1928|05|01}}
| birth_place = [[Kavalam]], [[Travancore]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2016|06|26|1928|05|01}} <ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/just-in/kavalam-narayana-panicker-no-more-kerala.html|title=Dramatist, poet Kavalam Narayana Panicker passes away|date=26 June 2016|publisher=[[Malayala Manorama]]|access-date=26 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629131805/http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/just-in/kavalam-narayana-panicker-no-more-kerala.html|archive-date=29 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| death_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], India
| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
| occupation = Poet, playwright, theatre director, lyricist
| known_for =
}}

'''Kavalam Narayana Panicker''' (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical [[Sanskrit drama]] and [[Shakespeare]], notably [[Kalidasa]]'s ''Vikramorvasiyam'' (1981, 1996), ''Shakuntalam'' (1982), [[Bhasa]]'s ''Madhyamavyayogam'' (1979), ''Karnabharam'' (1984, 2001), ''Uru Bhangam'' (1988), ''Swapnavasavadattam'', and ''Dootavakyam'' (1996).<ref>[http://www.keral.com/celebrities/kavalam/works.htm Works of Kavalam Narayana Panicker] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201200549/http://www.keral.com/celebrities/kavalam/works.htm |date=1 February 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/10/31/stories/2004103100780500.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125344/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/10/31/stories/2004103100780500.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=6 June 2011|title=Face To Face: From law to theatre |date=31 October 2004|work=The Hindu|access-date=5 April 2010}}</ref> He was the founder {{ndash}} director of theatre troupe, Sopanam, which led to the foundation of Bhashabharati: Centre for Performing Arts, Training and Research, in [[Trivandrum]].<ref>[[#Co|Cody, p. 1035]]</ref>

He was awarded the [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] for Direction in 1983 by [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]], and its highest award for lifetime achievement, the [[List of Sangeet Natak Akademi fellows|Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist.htm |title=SNA: List of Akademi Awardees |publisher=[[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] Official website |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217185616/http://www.sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist.htm |archive-date=17 February 2012 }}</ref> In 2007, he was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] in the field of Arts, by the [[Government of India]]. He died in his residence on 26 June 2016, aged 88, a few days after returning from the hospital.

== Early life and education==

[[File:Kavalam Narayana-Panicker.jpg|left|thumb|Kavalam Narayana-Panicker]]
He was born in the village of [[Kavalam]], into an ancient family from [[Kuttanad]] in [[Alappuzha]], Kerala, India. His family name is Chalayil and he was a nephew of Sardar [[Kavalam Madhava Panikkar]] and a cousin of Dr. [[K. Ayyappa Panicker]], a [[Malayalam]] poet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indereunion.net/actu/panikkar/interpanikkar.htm|title=Kavalam Narayana Panikkar - Interview|first=Philippe|last=Pratx|website=indereunion.net}}</ref>

He attended [[CMS College]] in [[Kottayam]], whose alumni included [[K. P. S. Menon]] and his uncle Sardar [[K. M. Panikkar]]. He obtained a degree in economics from [[Sanatana Dharma College]] (SD College), [[Alappuzha]] and later a Bachelor of Law degree from [[Madras Law College]].

==Career==

He started his career as a lawyer in 1955 and practised law for six years before devoting himself to art and literature. In 1961 he was nominated as Secretary of [[Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Thrissur]] and shifted his base to [[Thrissur]],{{page needed|date=December 2020}} the cultural capital of Kerala. His work has always been rooted in both the classical and folk traditions of Kerala.
[[File:Kavalam Narayana Panicker Image1.jpg|thumb|upright|Kavalam Narayana Panicker]]
In 1974, Kavalam shifted his residence to the state capital [[Thiruvananthapuram]]. In this period his play ''Avanavan Kadamba'' was filmed by [[G. Aravindan]]. He has worked in many countries, including the former [[Soviet Union]]. In [[Greece]] he worked with Greek artists on a production of the ''Ilyayana'', a fusion of the Indian [[Ramayana]] and the Greek epic [[Iliad]].

He has directed two movies about the greatest [[Kutiyattam]] maestro legendary actor Guru [[Mani Madhava Chakyar]]: ''[[Mani Madhava Chakyar: The Master at Work]]'' (1994) and ''Parvati Viraham'' (1993) in [[Kuttiyattam]] form featuring Mani Madhava Chakyar as [[Ravana]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.sangeetnatak.com/film.htm| title=Films of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi| access-date=29 January 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927131850/http://www.sangeetnatak.com/film.htm| archive-date=27 September 2007| url-status=dead}}</ref> As a lyricist in [[Malayalam cinema]], he has written for films like ''Ulsavapittennu'', ''[[Manjadikuru]]'' (2008), ''Vadakakkoru Hridayam'' (1978) and ''[[Marmaram]]'' (1982). He won [[Kerala State Film Award]] for [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyrics|Best Lyrics]] for the latter two films.

In 1993 Erin B. Mee directed his play ''Ottayan'' in New York City. The Village Voice said: "the haunting pungency of a rich Asian folk-theatre tradition shines through every stylized gesture."<ref>Faber, Roderick Mason, 7 July 1992. The Village Voice.</ref>

Erin B. Mee devotes an entire chapter of her book ''Theatre of Roots'' to Panikkar's work.<ref>Mee, Erin B. 2008 Theatre of Roots: Redirecting the Modern Indian Stage. Seagull Books.</ref> His work is also the subject of the volume ''K.N. Panikkar: The Theatre of Rasa'' edited by Udayan Vajpeyi.<ref>Vajpeyi, Udayan, ed. 2012. K.N. Panikkar: The Theatre of Rasa. Delhi: Nyogi Books.</ref> His play ''Aramba Chekkan'' is included in ''Drama Contemporary: India'', edited by Erin B. Mee<ref>Mee, Erin B. ed. 2001. Drama Contemporary:India. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press</ref> and Erin B. Mee conducted an interview with him for PAJ magazine<ref>Mee, Erin B. 1995. "Kavalam Narayana Panikkar: Meaning Into Action." PAJ #55.</ref> and his work is the subject of an interview by Erin B. Mee in Seagull Theatre Quarterly: 1995 "The Use of Folk Philosophy in Kavalam Narayana Panikkar's Poetic Theatre of Transformation." Seagull Theatre Quarterly 7:58-62.

He has remained a consultant at Asianet Communications and vice-chairman for [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]], New Delhi.

==Personal life==

He was married and had two sons. He lived in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] with his wife Saradamani and also had another house in his native village of Kavalam. He had two sons {{mdash}} Kavalam Harikrishnan and Kavalam Sreekumar. Kavalam Harikrishnan served as BHASABHARATHI's Chief contact person before he died of [[cancer]] in October 2009. His younger son [[Kavalam Sreekumar]], is a singer in Kerala.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.devaragam.com/vbscript/MusicNew.aspx?ArtistID=127|title=Kavalam Sreekumar Hits, Devaragam on the web|first=Prasannakumaran|last=Sarasijanayanan|website=devaragam.com|access-date=11 December 2007|archive-date=13 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213193910/http://www.devaragam.com/vbscript/MusicNew.aspx?ArtistID=127|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sreekumar sang folk and light music numbers over three decades. He also sang for [[Malayalam cinema|Malayalam films]] over the years.<ref>[http://msidb.org/songs.php?tag=Search&singers=Kavalam%20Sreekumar&limit=32 Kavalam Srikumar on MSI]</ref>

==Awards and recognition==

[[File:Kavalam - Narayana Panicker.jpg|thumb|Kavalam Narayana Panicker]]
[[File:Kavalam Narayana Panicker.jpg|thumb|Kavalam Narayana Panicker]]
He was awarded [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] in 1983 and [[List of Sangeet Natak Akademi fellows|Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship]] in 2002 and the [[Padma Bhushan]] civilian decoration in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=80307|title=Padma Bhushan for Nooyi, Mittal|date=26 January 2007|publisher=ExpressIndia|access-date=26 May 2009|archive-date=26 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126011545/http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=80307|url-status=dead}}</ref> He received the [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keralaculture.org/drama-ksna/457|title=Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship: Drama|publisher=Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala|access-date=25 February 2023}}</ref>

He has won [[Kerala State Film Award]] for [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyrics|Best Lyrics]] twice, in 1978 for ''Vadakakkoru Hridayam'' and in 1982 for ''[[Marmaram]]'', and the [[Kalidas Samman]] by the [[Government of Madhya Pradesh]] in (1994–1995).

;Other
* 2013 – TTK Prestige-Vanitha Film Awards – Best Lyricist – ''[[Amen (2013 film)|Amen]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kerala9.com/news-category/news/movie-news/ttk-prestige-vanitha-film-awards-shobhana-prithviraj-win-best-actor-actress-awards|title=TTK Prestige-Vanitha Film Awards: Shobhana, Prithviraj win best actor, actress awards - Kerala9.com|website=kerala9.com|access-date=7 January 2014|archive-date=7 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307082405/http://kerala9.com/news-category/news/movie-news/ttk-prestige-vanitha-film-awards-shobhana-prithviraj-win-best-actor-actress-awards|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Best Male Singer

* 2013 – [[Asiavision Awards]] – Best Lyricist<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/mammotty-kavya-madhavan-bag-asiavision-awards-2013-11-05-1.526962 |title=Mammotty, Kavya Madhavan bag Asiavision awards - Emirates 24|7 |access-date=2015-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060116/http://www.emirates247.com/entertainment/mammotty-kavya-madhavan-bag-asiavision-awards-2013-11-05-1.526962 |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }}</ref>

==Works==

* ''The Right to rule (Kōyma) ; and, The domain of the sun (Sūryasthāna)''. Seagull Books, 1989. {{ISBN|81-7046-071-9}}.
* ''Folklore of Kerala''. National Book Trust, India, 1991.
* ''Karimkutty ; and, The lone tusker''. Seagull Books, 1991. {{ISBN|81-7046-092-1}}.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* Mee, Erin B. 2008 ''Theatre of Roots: Redirecting the Modern Indian Stage''. Seagull Books.
* Mee, Erin B. 1995. "Kavalam Narayana Panikkar: Meaning Into Action." PAJ #55.
* Mee, Erin B. 1995 "The Use of Folk Philosophy in Kavalam Narayana Panikkar's Poetic Theatre of Transformation." Seagull Theatre Quarterly 7:58-62.
* Panikkar, K. N. "Aramba Chekkan" In Mee, Erin B. ed. 2001. ''DramaContemporary:India''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press
* {{cite book|last=Cody|first=Gabrielle H. |author2=Evert Sprinchorn|title=The Columbia encyclopedia of modern drama, Volume 2|publisher=Columbia University Press|year=2007 |isbn=978-0-231-14424-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aQqOKWmjdQUC&q=Kavalam++Narayana+Panikkar&pg=PA1035|ref=Co}}
* {{IMDb name|0659500}}

==External links==

* [http://www.devaragam.com/vbscript/MusicNew.aspx?ArtistID=89 Hits of Kavalam Narayana Panikkar]
* [http://www.bhasabharathi.com/kavalam.htm Kavalam Narayana Panikkar Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061006123908/http://www.bhasabharathi.com/kavalam.htm |date=6 October 2006 }} – a detailed profile of Kavalam Narayana Paniker.
* [http://www.bhasabharathi.com/ BhashaBharati, website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041128130822/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2004/10/31/stories/2004103100780500.htm Interview with Kavalam]
* [http://www.malayalasangeetham.info/php/displayProfile.php?category=writers&artist=Kavalam%20Narayana%20Panicker Kavalam Narayana Panicker at MSI]

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{SangeetNatakAkademiFellowship}}
{{Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Winners of Kerala}}
{{Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Panicker, Kavalam Narayana}}
[[Category:1928 births|Narayana, Panicker]]
[[Category:2016 deaths|Narayana, Panicker]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian theatre directors]]
[[Category:People from Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:Indian male poets|Narayana, Panicker]]
[[Category:Malayali people|Narayana, Panicker]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language lyricists|Narayana, Panicker]]
[[Category:Malayalam poets|Narayana, Panicker]]
[[Category:Kerala State Film Award winners]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:CMS College Kottayam alumni]]
[[Category:Poets from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship]]

Kavalam Narayana Panicker - Revision history

WikiDwarfBOT at 05:24, 22 July 2023