Pala Narayanan Nair

Pala Narayanan Nair Biography

Pala Narayanan Nair was a very famous and celebrated Malayalam poet who lived in the 20^th century. He was born in Pala, Kottayam and his hometown is prefixed to him name. He is best known for the work "Keralam Valarunnu" in eight volumes, published in 1953 which earned him the title of Mahakavi (Great Poet). Through this work, he Nair envisioned a unified Kerala. He has contributed more than 5,000 poems, compiled in about 48 collections. He was the first secretary of Kerala Sahitya Akademi. For the poem "Vilakku Koluthoo", he received Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1976. Vallathol Award (1991), Ulloor Award (1999), Ezhuthachan Puraskaram (2000) and Mathrubhumi Literary Award (2002) are other major honours received by him. He was honoured with Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2006. He passed away in 2008.

He was born in Pala on December 11, 1911. Soon after completing his school studies in Pala, he started his career as a teacher in Ponjar. During this time he published his first poetry collection, Pookkal in 1935. He also served in military for a while and has participated in World War Second. In 1956, he took Master’s degree in Malayalam from Travancore University (now Kerala University) and worked as Malayalam professor at Alphonsa College, Pala and later at NSS College, Kottayam.

Among his works, "Keralam Valarunnu" and "Amritakala" are his most celebrated works and both are collection of poems. His works have been compiled in 43 collections which include huge collection of poems. Keralam Valarunnu, Shanthi-vaikhari, Kasturba, Aalippazhom and Anthyapuja are his other popular works. Pala: Kavithakalude Palazhy is a documentary film made on this celebrated Malayalam poet.

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Updated: May 07, 2014