Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 25: M.T. Vasudevan Nair, the doyen of Malayalam literature and Jnanpith Award winner, passed away at a private hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala. He was 91.

Fondly known as MT, he is considered one of the greatest writers in Malayalam and served as the editor of Mathrubhumi Weekly, a well-circulated periodical from Kerala.

A Padma Bhushan awardee, MT was an iconic figure in Malayalam literature and cinema.

His contributions left an indelible mark on both fields, earning him recognition as one of the most celebrated writers in the Malayalam language.

MT won four National Film Awards for screenplay writing and directed seven films while scripting approximately 54 others.

His screenplays, now available in book form, are considered essential reading for aspiring filmmakers.

Over the years, he received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award, and O.N.V. Literary Award.

In 2013, he was honoured with the J.C. Daniel Award for lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema.

In 2022, he received the inaugural Kerala Jyothi Award, the highest civilian honour bestowed by the Kerala Government.

MT was awarded the Jnanpith, India’s highest literary honour, in 1995 for his outstanding contributions to literature.

In October this year, MT made headlines when gold ornaments were stolen from his residence while he and his wife were away.

The police later recovered the items, implicating a domestic helper in the theft.

MT had started writing from a very young age. He was inspired by his elder brothers, who wrote time and again in several literary journals, and poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri who was his senior in the high school.

MT initially wrote poems but not for a long time, as he switched to prose writing.

A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, MT was a towering figure in Malayalam literature and cinema.

His contributions left an indelible mark on both fields, cementing his place as one of the most celebrated writers in the Malayalam language.

MT won four National Film Awards for screenplay writing and directed seven films while scripting approximately 54 others.

His screenplays, now published in book form, are considered essential reading for aspiring filmmakers.

Over the years, he received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award, and O.N.V. Literary Award.

In 2013, he was honoured with the J.C. Daniel Award for lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema.

In 2022, he received the inaugural Kerala Jyothi Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the Kerala government.

He was awarded the Jnanpith, India's highest literary honour, in 1995 for his outstanding contributions to literature.

MT's works continue to resonate deeply, offering profound reflections on life's complexities and human emotions.

A literary giant and cinematic visionary, his passing marks the end of an era.

Yet, his legacy will forever remain etched in the hearts of countless admirers and in the annals of Malayalam literature and cinema.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed deep condolences on MT’s passing. The state government has announced two days of official mourning on December 26 and 27.

--IANS

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