CleanupBot II at 11:56, 14 August 2023

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox person
|name = V.Madhavan Nair
|image =
|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1914|12|06}}
|birth_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Travancore]], [[British India]]
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1994|07|02|1914|12|06}} <ref>{{cite web|title=About Mali|url=http://malifoundation.org/about-mali/|website=Mali Foundation|accessdate=4 July 2016}}</ref>
|death_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]
|nationality = Indian
|parents = T.K. Velu Pillai, Bhagavathiyamma
|website = {{URL|http://www.malifoundation.org/}}
|alias = Mali
}}

'''V. Madhavan Nair''' (1915–1994) more popularly known as '''Mali Madhavan Nair''' was a lawyer, journalist, sportsman, musicologist, [[kathakali]] playwright, dramatist, editor and a pioneer in radio broadcasting. Other posts he held include editorial board member of ''Free Press Journal'' ([[Mumbai]]), editor of National Book Trust, station director of All India Radio, director of cultural affairs of Travancore Devaswom Board, chief editor of Kerala Nirmithi Kendram. As a journalist he wrote on arts, literature, Indian architecture and sports for a variety of English publications like ''[[The Hindu]]'', ''[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]'' and Malayalam periodicals like ''[[Mathrubhumi]]''.

He is more famous for his children's books he wrote under pseudonym "Mali".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/07/10/stories/2005071000400500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051228052636/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/07/10/stories/2005071000400500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 December 2005 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Multi-faceted personality | date=10 July 2005}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nairs.in/bio_m.htm|title = Biography of Eminent Nairs}}</ref>

==Early life==
Mali was born on 6 December 1914 in [[Thiruvananthapuram]]. His father was Sadasyatilakan T.K.Veluppillai and his mother was Bhagavathiyamma. As a youth he was a good tennis player.

==Career as Kathakali dramatist==

His work ''Karnashapatham'', is the most successful kathakali play written in the 20th century.
It saw more than 5000 stage performances during Mali's lifetime. It is deemed a classic by virtue of its theme and the innovative ingredients woven together. Compared to other kathakali plays, ''Karnasapatham'' is short, about three and half hours. Typical kathakali plays go on from dusk to dawn. The use of simple Malayalam in the lyrics or ''padams'' and the use of ragas such as Reethigowla and Hindolam, some of them for the first time in kathakali, added to its popular appeal. All the padams were written and tuned by Mali himself. It was first sung on stage by Vaikom Thankappan Pillai.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/consummate-classicism/article95632.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=Madhavi | last=Ramkumar | title=Consummate classicism | date=29 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-mentor/lessons-from-karnas-dilemma/article1115921.ece|title=Lessons from Karna's dilemma}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/17/stories/2010011760360300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129074321/http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/17/stories/2010011760360300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 November 2010|title=Kathakali legend captivates viewers|last=Kurup|first=Deepa|date=17 January 2010|work=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=3 September 2011|location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/dramatic-encounters-on-stage/article1436414.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Dramatic encounters on stage | date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

==Children's author==
He wrote about fifty novels and short stories for children. He was also editor of ''Malika'' a magazine for children. His retelling of Mahabharatha and Ramayana for children made him a household name. His novels ''Circus'' and ''Porattam'' were standard reading for the Kerala 7th standard syllabus.

==Major works==

*''Unnikale Katha Parayam'' (1954)
*''Unnikalkku Janthukathakal'' (1957)
*''Unnikkathakal'' (1967)
*''Mali Ramayanam'' (1962)
*''Mali Bhagavatham'' (1968)
*''Karnashapatham Attakkatha''( 1969)
*''Jeevanulla Prathima'' (1979)
*''Mali Bharatham'' (1979)
*''Mandakkazhutha'' (1979)
*''Circus'' (1979)
*''Sarvajithum Kallakkadathum'' (1979)
*''Thenali Raman'' (1981)
*''Vikramaditya Kathakal'' (1981)
*''Purana Katha Malika'' (1981-12 volumes)
*''Aitihya Lokam'' (1986)
*''Kishkindha''
*''Anchu Minute Kathakal''

==Death==
Mali, who suffered from various ailments, died on 2 July 1994 aged 79 at Thiruvananthapuram. His body was cremated with full state honours.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nair, Mali Madhavan}}
[[Category:Indian children's writers]]
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:People of the Kingdom of Travancore]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

Mali Madhavan Nair - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 11:56, 14 August 2023