N. N. Kakkad

N. N. Kakkad Biography

Narayana Nambuthiri Kakkad, popularly known as N. N. Kakkad was a Malayalam poet, a Sanskrit scholar and a broadcaster. He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Vayalar Award in 1986 for his collection Saphalamee Yathra. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the avant-garde poetry in Malayalam by the critics. His works were experimental and innovative. He is acknowledged to be one among the great writers of Malayalam during 20^th century.

Kakkad was born on 14 July 1927 at Avitanallur as the son of Kakkad Narayanan Namboothiri and Devaki Antharjanam. Both his and his father’s name are the same. He did Sanskrit studies in traditional way before joining school. He learnt a little astrology too. Kakkad did his schooling at Samorin's High School, Kozhikode in the year 1943 and started with 7^th standard and completed his school studies at Thrissur. It was during his studies at Vivekodaya that he turned to be a good reader. Later did college studies at Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur. In 1955, April 26 he married Sridevi. His career started as a school teacher and later joined the All India Radio. He retired from services as the producer of AIR.

Kakkad was interested in poetry from his school days. His first published book was Salabha Geetham (Song of Butterfly) in the year 1957, when he was 30 years old. His earlier works truly exhibited colours of romance while the later works concentrated on to serious subjects like complexities of modern urbanised psyche. His published books include - Nadan Chinthukal, Pakalaruthikku Munpu, Salabha Geetham, Pathalathinte Muzhakkam, 1963, Vajrakundalam, Nanni Thiruvoname Nanni and Saphalamee Yathra. His work, Saphalamee Yathra is regarded as the masterpiece of Kakkad which won both Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Vayalar Award in 1986.  In the next year, he died of cancer at the age of 59. His last two works - Nadanchinthukal and Pakalaruthikku Munpu were published only after his death.

Published: N/A

Updated: October 25, 2013