Ambalapuzha Gopakumar

{{Short description|Indian writer and poet (1944–2024)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Gopakumar, Ambalapuzha

| image = ambalapuzhagopakumar.jpg

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1944|6|27}}

| birth_place = Ambalapuzha, Travancore, India

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2024|7|21|1944|6|27}}

| death_place = Ambalapuzha, Kerala, India

| nationality = Indian

| citizenship = India

| education = Ph.D.

| alma_mater = *Sanathana Dharma College, Alappuzha

• NSS Hindu College, Changanassery

| occupation = Poet, Historian, Professor

| title = *

| notable_works = Rappadi, Shyamakrishnan, Idayante Pattu, History of Ambalapuzha Temple, Kunchan Nambiar,

| spouse =

| parents =

| children =

}}

Thathamathu Nanupilla Gopakumaran Nair (27 June 1944 – 21 July 2024) was an Indian Malayalam poet, historian, orator and writer from Kerala.{{Cite web|url=http://mintonsunday.livemint.com/news/ambalapuzhas-payasam/2.3.2289558410.html|title=Ambalapuzha's payasam|website=mintonsunday.livemint.com/|access-date=25 March 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150725/nation-current-affairs/article/ramayana-vignettes-ramayana-emphasises-thought-over-desire|title=Ramayana vignettes: Ramayana emphasises thought over desire|website=Deccan Chronicle|date=25 July 2015 |access-date=25 March 2016}} He was the recipient of the Kerala State Institute of Children's Literature Award, in 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ksicl.org/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=55|title=Award|last=Administrator|website=www.ksicl.org|access-date=25 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033519/http://www.ksicl.org/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=55|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} Gopakumar was also the author of 'History of Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Temple' which describes the origin and history of Amabalapuzha and the famous Sreekrishna Temple.{{Cite web|url=http://www.janmabhumidaily.com/news198402|title=യുദ്ധാനന്തരം നാട്ടു ചരിത്രത്തില്‍ ഇങ്ങനെ ചിലതു സംഭവിച്ചു|last=ജന്മഭൂമി|website=ജന്മഭൂമി|date=10 May 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=25 March 2016}} He was widely regarded as an authority on the history of Chemapakassery, the erstwhile name of Ambalapuzha.{{Cite web|url=http://www.godsowncountry.info/keralatourism/celebrations|title=Celebrations {{!}} godsowncountry.info|website=www.godsowncountry.info|access-date=25 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320002537/http://www.godsowncountry.info/keralatourism/celebrations|archive-date=20 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

Gopakumar was the director of the Vaikom Kshetra Kalapeedom.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/alappuzha/malayalam-news/ampalappuzha-1.1245642|title=ഡോ. അമ്പലപ്പുഴ ഗോപകുമാര്‍ വൈക്കം ക്ഷേത്രകലാപീഠം ഡയറക്ടര്‍|access-date=14 August 2016|archive-date=21 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921044809/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/alappuzha/malayalam-news/ampalappuzha-1.1245642|url-status=dead}} In August 2016, he was given the 'Janmashtami' award for literature.{{Cite web|url=http://news.keralakaumudi.com/beta/news.php?NewsId=TkVLTTAxNDI5NTk=&xP=RExZ&xDT=MjAxNi0wOC0xMyAwMDozNTowMA==&xD=MQ==&cID=Mw==|title=ജന്മാഷ്ടമി പുരസ്‌കാരം ഡോ. അമ്പലപ്പുഴ ഗോപകുമാറിന്|language=en-US|access-date=14 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814224248/http://news.keralakaumudi.com/beta/news.php?NewsId=TkVLTTAxNDI5NTk=&xP=RExZ&xDT=MjAxNi0wOC0xMyAwMDozNTowMA==&xD=MQ==&cID=Mw==|archive-date=14 August 2016|url-status=dead}} He was also the recipient of Amrita Keerti Puraskar{{Cite news|url=http://www.amritapuri.org/activity/cultural/amritakeerti|title=Amrita Keerti Puraskar - Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi|newspaper=Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi|language=en-US|access-date=4 November 2016}} in 2016, in recognition of his contributions to spiritual, philosophical, and cultural literature.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/amritakeerti-puraskar/article9134293.ece|title=Amritakeerti Puraskar|date=22 September 2016|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=4 November 2016}}