Ramankutty Nair Biography 
Ramankutty Nair was a doyen of Kathakali, traditional art form of Kerala. He performed for more than 7 decades. For his contributions to Kathakali and Indian art, he has been awarded with Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship by Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India. He has also received Padma Bhushan. Ramankutty learnt with art form from his guru, Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, a legend of this art form. He has served Kerala Kalamandalam as a Kathakali teacher and Principal. He has published his autobiography named Thiranottam.
Ramankutty Nair was born on May 25, 1925 in Palakkad, Kerala. He was born in Vellinezhi village, famous for many noted Kathakali artists. But he was born in a family that doesn’t claim any Kathakali artist before. Ravunni Menon, a resident tutor at the renowned Olappamanna Mana was behind Ramakutty’s intensions to learn Kathakali. He learnt this art form from Kerala Kalamandalam, the number one institution in India to learn this art form. It takes at least 12 years to master this art form, which speaks through eyes and hands rather than voice and body language. Parasurama in ‘Sita Swayamvaram,’ was his trade mark character during his early days. The role of Hanuman in Thoranayudham and Kalyanasougadhikam are next noted ones.
Later he joined Kerala Kalamandalam as a teacher where he trained many prominent Kathakali artists like - Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, M.P.S. Namboodiri, Balasubramanian and K. Gopalakrishnan. He has trained many younger artists of present generation as well. He retired as principal of Kalamandalam in 1985. Later he served as chairman of Gandhi Seva Sadan and was active in this field till he became 85. Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan has made a documentary film of this great artist, with the same name. His 'satabhishekam' (84th birthday) was celebrated in a grand way. Ramankutty Nair died on March 11, 2013 at age 87. He was one of the truest exponents of ‘Kalluvazhi Chitta,’ the school propagated by his guru, Ravunni Menon. He is widely regarded as ‘Panini of Kathakali.’
Published: N/A
Updated: January 08, 2014
