M. K. Menon or Moorkkanaat Krishnankutty Menon was an eminent Indian author who hailed from Kerala and wrote in Malayalam language. He was more popular with his pen name Vilasini. His literary works have also been honoured with esteemed awards. His debut novel titled Niramulla Nizhalukal earned him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1966. He is recognized for being the author of the longest novel of India, Avakasikal (The Inheritors) which also won him the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and Vayalar Award in the years 1981 and 1983 respectively. M. K. Menon died on 13th May 1993.
Early Life of M. K. Menon
M. K. Menon was born on 23rd June 1928 in Karumathra, near Vadakkancherry, British India. In 1947 he completed his higher education from St. Thomas College, Trichur, with a degree in Mathematics. He moved to Singapore in the year 1953 where he began his life as an editor of the English monthly titled Indian Movie News. After two years he was appointed as the sub-editor at the French News service Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Singapore. He also became a member of the Kerala Socialist Party. In the year 1977 he returned to Kerala.
Career of M. K. Menon
M. K. Menon began his career as a novelist in 1965 with the book Niramulla Nizhalukal which contains vivid depictions of the lives of Malayalis in Singapore during the Second World War. The stream of consciousness novel especially attracted him. Another novel titled Oonjal also attained remarkable appreciations in which the entire story is portrayed as what passes through the minds of the characters. Avakasikal (The Inheritors) is known to be his best work which covers 3958 pages and four volumes and is credited to be the longest novel written in an Indian language. Literary works of M. K. Menon also encompass translation of several novels into Malayalam including the Persian novel The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat and Spanish novel Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. Other prominent novels published by him enlist Yathramukham, Chundeli, Thudakkam etc. Uthirmanikal, Prathyakshavalkaranam Novelil and Novalilekkoru Kilivaathil are his famed essay works. Kaithiri, written by him, is his collection of novel whereas Swa-le is his work on journalism.
Published Works of M. K. Menon
Novels |
Avakasikal (Inheritors) |
Oonjaal (Swing) |
Thudakkam (Beginning) |
Inaangaatta Kannikal |
Chundeli |
Yathramukham |
Niramulla Nizhalukal |
Others |
Kaithiri (Poems) |
Uthirmanikal (essays) |
Novalilekkoru Kilivaathil (essays) |
Prathyakshavalkaranam Novelil (essays) |
Swa-le (Journalism) |
Sahashayanam (Translation of Kawabata Yasunari`s Japanese Novel) |
Kurudan Moonga (Translation of the Persian novel Boof-e koor (The Blind Owl) by Sadegh Hedayat) |
Pedroparamo (Translation of the Spanish novel Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo) |