Jnanpith laureate Akkitham passes away

Thrissur: Just over a fortnight after receiving India's highest literary prize, Jnanpith, renowned Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri passed away Thursday morning at a private hospital here. He was 94. The poet had been undergoing treatment for age induced infirmities.

Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, fondly called Akkitham, has left behind an impressive oeuvre of over 46 works in Malayalam, and the most critically acclaimed of them is 'Irupatham Nootandinte Ithihasam'. His other notables include Nimisha Kshethram, Upanayanam, Samavarthanam, Bhagavatham, Balidarshanam, Vennakkallinte Katha, Manasakshiyude Pookkal, Panchavarnakkili, Arangettam, Madhuvidhu, Oru Kula Munthiringa, Idinju Polinja Lokam, Amrithagadhika, Manasapooja and Karathalamalakam.

Akkitham is the 6th Malayalam writer to receive the Jnanpith Award. In a simple ceremony held days before, he received the award. He was earlier honoured with Padma Sri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2017. During his long literary career, Akitham won many awards including Kendra and Kerala Sahithya Akademi awards, Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Odakkuzhal Award, Asan Smaraka Kavitha Puraskaram, Sanjayan Award, Lalithambika Antharjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award, Vallathol Award, Vayalar Award, among others. The poet who had been instrumental in heralding modernism in Malayalam poetry expanded his literary horizon beyond poetry, penning plays, short stories and children's literature.

Akkitham was born on March 18, 1926 to Vasudevan Namboothiri and Parvathy Antharjanam at Amettu Akkithathu Mana in Kumaranelloor of Palakkad. Growing up, he learnt Sanskrit, music and astrology.

In 1946, he brought out the magazine " Unni Namboothiri, before serving as the assistant editor of noted publications: editor of 'Mangalodayam' and 'Yogakshemam'.

He had been a script writer for Akashavani Kozhikode station since 1956 and editor at the Thrissur station in 1975. He retired in 1985. Akkitham was married to Sreedevi Antharjanam who died in 2019. He is survived by son Narayanan and daughter Sreeja.