https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=M._GovindanM. Govindan - Revision history2026-07-31T08:14:48ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=M._Govindan&diff=461133&oldid=prevStellaWindsor21 at 01:16, 27 May 20252025-05-27T01:16:24Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian writer of Malayalam literature}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox writer<br />
| name = M. Govindan<br />
| image = <br />
| caption = <br />
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1919|9|18}} <br />
| birth_place = Kuradadesham, Thrikkanapuram, [[Ponnani]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1989|1|23|1919|9|18}}<br />
| death_place = [[Guruvayur]], [[Thrissur]], Kerala, India <br />
| nationality = <br />
| genre = [[Poetry]]<br />
| occupation = Writer, cultural activist<br />
| spouse = Dr K C Padmavathy <br />
| children = 2<br />
| relatives = <br />
| awards = <br />
| signature = <br />
}}<br />
'''Mancherath Thazhathethil Govindan''' (1919–1989) was an Indian writer of [[Malayalam literature]] and a cultural activist from [[Kerala]], India. He was known for his writings as well as for his efforts in assisting [[Anand (writer)|Anand]] to publish his [[debut novel]], ''Aalkkottam'', and in the production of [[Swayamvaram (1972 film)|Swayamvaram]], the debut movie of [[Dadasaheb Phalke Award|Dadasaheb Phalke laureate]], [[Adoor Gopalakrishnan]]. His body of work comprises short stories, poems, articles and plays. He also wrote the screenplay for [[Nokkukuthi]], a 1983 film by [[Mankada Ravi Varma]].<br />
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== Biography ==<br />
Govindan was born on 18 September 1919, at Kuradadesham, in Thrikkanapuram, [[Ponnani]], [[Malappuram district]] of the south Indian state of [[Kerala]] to Kothayath Manakkal Chithran Nampoothiri and Mancherath Thazhathethil Devaki Amma.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/MGovindan/Html/MGovindangraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-03-05 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> His schooling was at Higher Elementary School, [[Kuttippuram]], and A.V. High School, Ponnani but had formal education only up to 9th standard. He became a socialist, reading ''Why Socialism'' by Jayaprakash Narayan, given to him by the poet Idassery Govindan Nair, but never a Marxist. When his mother remarried Karunakaran Nair, a police official based in [[Chennai]] and moved there, Govindan also settled in that city. According to the biography of Govindan, written by his close associate M. K. Sanoo, Govindan never took part in freedom movement and shifted to Madras only because his mother got married again. In 1944 he joined Madras Information service, shifted to Kerala Information Department along with his friend A. N. Nambiar, after states re organization; worked in the information service for 14 years. It was the British rule that recruited him, and the information service was propagating British views on Second World War. He was given a job at the recommendation of P. Balasubramanya Mudaliar, Editor of ''Sunday Observer'', mouth piece of the Justice Party. Govindan had embraced the Radical Humanism of erstwhile Marxist M. N. Roy in 1939; both were against Gandhi and the Quit India movement. His friendship with Roy began when Roy, as Editor of ''Independent India'', published Govindan's article, ''Caste and Class in South India''. Subsequent exchange of letters made Govindan, a disciple of Roy. He had been in active politics prior to that and according to Sanoo, had written a couple of articles in leftist magazines such as ''Thozhilali'' and ''Rajyabhamani''. C. J. Thomas met him in 1949, when he went to Madras and made an unsuccessful attempt to study MLitt, and joined the USIS. Their friendship ultimately bloomed in their joint effort against the first elected Communist Government in India, in the infamous liberation struggle, funded by the CIA. Govindan worked against the first Communist government of Kerala during 1957–1959, and exposed the Andhra rice scandal of that government, which was toppled by the CIA, according to the book, ''A Dangerous Place'' by Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Govindan organized several pamphlets against the government, one of which was written by Sanoo. In 1959, he resigned from service and concentrated on his intellectual career. He edited three magazines ''Navasahiti'', ''Gopuram'' and ''Sameeksha'' and organised many academic forums for cultural debate.<ref name="‘Anaadham Ee Agniveena’ is an absorbing work on the life and times of writer and thinker M Govindan">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/anaadham-ee-agniveena-is-an-absorbing-work-on-the-life-and-times-of-writer-and-thinker-m-govindan/article25992801.ece |title='Anaadham Ee Agniveena' is an absorbing work on the life and times of writer and thinker M Govindan |last=Binoy |first=Rasmi |date=2019-01-17 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> He spotted and groomed many young writers and artists through his magazines.<ref>M.Govindan;Jeevithavum Ashayavum by A.Radhakrishnan</ref> He also wrote profusely both in Malayalam and English,<ref name="George1992">{{cite book|author=K. M. George|title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA255|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-324-0|pages=255–}}</ref> but his creative works were largely in Malayalam.<ref>Akhilavijnanakosam; D.C.Books; Kottayam</ref><ref>Sahithyakara Directory; Kerala Sahithya Academy, Thrissur</ref><br />
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Govindan was married to Dr. K. C. Padmavathy, who was a physician, and niece of artist K. C. S. Paniker. It was a love marriage, both she and Paniker were Royists. She had participated in Guruvayoor temple struggle. She translated William Saroyan's ''The Human Comedy'' and six stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer. Govimdan died on 23 January 1989, at the age of 69, in [[Guruvayur]], Kerala.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /><br />
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== Legacy ==<br />
Govindan's works include poems, short stories, plays, and essays.<ref name="List of works">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/MGovindan/Html/MGovindanBooks.htm |title=List of Works |date=2019-03-05 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> Besides, he wrote the screenplay for [[Nokkukuthi]], a 1983 film by [[Mankada Ravi Varma]], based on one of his own stories.<ref name="Profile of Malayalam Story Writer M. Govindan">{{Cite web |url=https://malayalasangeetham.info/displayProfile.php?category=story&artist=M%2520Govindan |title=Profile of Malayalam Story Writer M. Govindan |website=malayalasangeetham.info |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref><ref name="Nokkukuthi [1983]">{{Cite web |url=https://malayalasangeetham.info/m.php?4858 |title=Nokkukuthi [1983] |website=malayalasangeetham.info |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> While he was the editor of ''Sameeksha'' magazine, [[Anand (writer)|Anand]] wrote to him requesting for assistance for publishing his debut novel, ''Aalkkottamm'' and later Anand admitted that Govindan's intervention helped in the publication of the novel.<ref name="Anand - Sahapedia profile">{{Cite web |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/anand-0 |title=Anand - Sahapedia profile |date=2019-03-05 |website=Sahapedia |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> His efforts have also been reported in the production and distribution of [[Swayamvaram (1972 film)|Swayamvaram]], the debut movie of [[Adoor Gopalakrishnan]].<ref name="‘M. Govindan was not anti-Marxist’">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/m-govindan-was-not-anti-marxist/article26226222.ece |title=M. Govindan was not anti-Marxist |date=2019-02-09 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref><br />
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== Bibliography ==<br />
=== Short stories ===<br />
* {{Cite book |title=Maṇiyōrḍar̲uṃ Mat̲t̲u Kathakaḷuṃ |last=Govindan |first=M |date=1969 |publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ : [Sales Dept.], Nāṣanal Bukkst̲āḷ |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ|oclc = 31221520}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=M. Gōvindant̲e Kathakaḷ |last=Govindan |first=M |date=2003 |publisher=Ḍi. Si. Buks |isbn=9788126406272 |location=Kottayam|oclc = 54529141}}<br />
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=== Poetry ===<br />
* {{Cite book |title=Oru Ponnānikkāran̲te Manōrājyaṃ |last=Govindan |first=M |date=1978 |publisher=Samīkṣa |location=Parappanaṅṅāṭi |language=ml|oclc = 8805195}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=Kavita |last=Govindan |first=M |last2=Nārāyaṇapiḷḷa |first2=Ke. Es |publisher=Kēraḷa Kavitāgrandhavari |location=Koccin?|oclc = 36778815}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=Nāṭṭuveḷichaṃ |last=Govindan |first=M |date=1978 |publisher=Samīkṣa |location=Parappanaṅṅāṭi |language=ml|oclc = 8805260}}<br />
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=== Edited works ===<br />
* {{Cite book|title=Poetry and renaissance: Kumaran Asan birth centenary volume|last=Govindan|first=M|date=1974|publisher=Sameeksha |location=Madras|language=en|oclc=2834828}}<br />
* {{Cite book|title=Poetry and renaissance: Kumaran Asan birth centenary volume|last=Govindan|date=2014|location=Chennai|language=en| publisher = Blaze Media, [[P K Sreenivasan]] Chennai |oclc=2834828}}<br />
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=== Essays ===<br />
* {{Cite book |title=M. Gōvindant̲e Upanyāsaṅṅaḷ |last=Govindan |first=M |date=1986 |publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ : Nāṣanal Bukkst̲āḷ |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ |oclc=18226024}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=Samasyakaḷ Sameepanaṅgaḷ. |last=Govindan |first=M |date=1967 |publisher=Sales Dept. |location=Place of publication not identified |language=ml|oclc = 25147844}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=Araṅgēt̲t̲aṃ |last=Govindan |first=M |date=1978 |publisher=Samīkṣa |location=Parappanaṅṅāṭi |language=ml|oclc = 8476430}}<br />
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=== Works on M. Govindan ===<br />
* {{Cite book |url=http://122.165.117.71/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=149749&query_desc=pb%253AMaluben |title=Anaadham Ee Agniveena: M Govindhante Jeevithanaalvazhikkanakk |last=Unnikkannan |first=M. T. |date=2017 |publisher=MaluBen Publications |isbn=9789384795184 |edition=1 |location=Thiruvananthapuram |language=ml}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=M. Gōvindan, Jeevithavuṃ Aaśayavuṃ |last=Rādhākr̥iṣhṇan |first=E |date=2008 |publisher=Ḍ. C. Buks |isbn=9788126422159 |location=Kottayam|oclc = 317778495}}<br />
* {{Cite book |title=M. Gōvindan Smaraṇika |last=Śr̲eedharan |first=I. V |date=1993 |publisher=Malayāḷa Kalāgrāmaṁ |location=New Mahe, Kerala|oclc = 45759159}}<br />
*Sanoo M K ( 2002)/M Govindan, D C Books<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/MGovindan/Html/MGovindan.htm |title=Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi |date=2019-03-05 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-05}}<br />
* {{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/eighteen-artists-exhibit-their-works-at-nanappa-art-gallery-kochi/articleshow/66024529.cms |title=Eighteen artists exhibit their works at Nanappa Art Gallery, Kochi |website=The Times of India |access-date=2019-03-05}}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Govindan, M.}}<br />
[[Category:Indian male poets]]<br />
[[Category:Malayalam poets]]<br />
[[Category:1989 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:1919 births]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]<br />
[[Category:Writers from Malappuram district]]<br />
[[Category:Poets from Kerala]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]</div>StellaWindsor21