Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan

| image = Kadaman.jpg

| birth_name = M. R. Ramakrishna Panikkar

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1935|3|22}}

| birth_place = Kadammanitta, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2008|3|31|1935|3|22}}

| office = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly

| term_start = {{Start date|1996|||df=yes}}

| term_end = {{End date|2001|||df=yes}}

| predecessor = R. Ramachandran Nair

| successor = Malethu Sarala Devi

| constituency = Aranmula

|office1 = President, Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham

| term_start1 = {{Start date|2002|||df=yes}}

| term_end1 = {{End date|2008|||df=yes}}

| predecessor1 = N. V. P. Unithiri

| successor1 = U. A. Khader

| occupation = Poet

| spouse = Santha

| awards = {{ublist|1982 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award | 1995 Asan Prize | Al Abu Dhabi Malayalam Samajam Award| New York Malayalam International Foundation Award | Muscat Kerala Samskarika Kendram Award | 2004 Basheer Puraskaram | 2006 Mahakavi Pandalam Keralavarma Poetry Award}}

}}

M. R. Ramakrishna Panikkar (22 March 1935 – 31 March 2008), popularly known as Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan or Kadammanitta, was an Indian poet. He was born in Kadammanitta!! province of Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. His childhood experiences, especially the Patayani songs, had a strong influence on his literary work.[http://www.mathrubhumi.com/nri/pravasibharatham/article_388460/ "പടയണിശീലും കടമ്മനിട്ട കവിതയും നഗരം ശ്രവിച്ചപ്പോള്"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419025203/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/nri/pravasibharatham/article_388460/ |date=19 April 2014 }}. Mathrubhumi. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

Early life

Ramakrishnan was born on 22 March 1935 to Meletharayil Raman Nair and Kuttiyamma. He completed schooling at his home village of Kadammanitta and at the nearby town of Pathanamthitta. He was influenced by the traditional religious art form of Patayani even from his childhood. After his degree studies, he went to Kolkata and then reached Chennai. He was employed with the Postal Audits and Accounts department in 1959. He worked in Thiruvananthapuram from 1967 until his retirement in 1992.

Literary life

Ramakrishnan's poem Njan was published in 1965 in M. Govindan's Sameeksha magazine.

Kadammanitta played a role in reviving interest in poetry by holding thousands of recital sessions in every nook and corner of Kerala in the 1970s and 80s. His work has been widely appreciated for its force, energy, and folk touch, and his work gave a mass appeal and popularity making poetry enjoyable even to commonman. Ramakrishnan's close association with literary and cultural luminaries, which included M. Govindan, Ayyappa Paniker, M. V. Devan, P. K. Balakrishnan, O. N. V. Kurup, Kavalam Narayana Panicker, D.Vinayachandran, and K. V. Thampi, helped him in the endeavour to give a popular image to Malayalam poetry recital. He had recited his fiery works at thousands of venues all over the state, besides editing a poetry journal Kerala Kavitha that attempted to take the essence of poetry from the academic cloisters to the realms of everyday life.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xnZLAQAAIAAJ |title=Indian Literature, Volume 50 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |year=2006 |pages=14–15|isbn=9788126017928 }}

Other activities

A communist, he was involved with the student federation as well as communist party during his college days.{{cite news | url=http://www.godubai.com/gulftoday/printarc.asp?aid=121213 | title=Kadammanitta passes away | work=Gulf Today | access-date=18 April 2014 | archive-date=19 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419014200/http://www.godubai.com/gulftoday/printarc.asp?aid=121213 | url-status=dead }} In 1992, he became the vice president of CPI-M's cultural wing, Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Association for Art and Letters), and in 2002 its president.{{cite news | url=https://www.sites.google.com/site/purogamanakalasahithyasangham/state-presidents-general-secretaries | title=State Presidents/General Secretaries | publisher=PuKaSa | access-date=18 April 2014 | archive-date=19 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419020833/https://www.sites.google.com/site/purogamanakalasahithyasangham/state-presidents-general-secretaries | url-status=dead }} In 1996, he was elected to Kerala state legislative assembly from Aranmula constituency in Pathanamthitta district.{{cite web | url=http://eci.nic.in/archive/electionanalysis/AE/S11/partycomp107.htm | title=Aranmula Assembly Constituency | publisher=Election Commission of India | access-date=18 April 2014}} He was still continuing as the President of Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangham when he died.

Death

Ramakrishnan died at 9 o'clock in the morning of 31 March 2008 at M.G.M. Memorial Medical Centre in Pathanamthitta, nine days after celebrating his 73rd birthday. He had been undergoing treatment for myeloid leukaemia for the past three months. He was survived by his wife, Santha, daughter, Geetha Devi, and son, Geetha Krishnan.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080921104926/http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/01/stories/2008040154420400.htm "Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan dead"]. The Hindu. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2013.[http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kerala/Poet-Kadammanitta-passes-away/Article1-294686.aspx "Poet Kadammanitta passes away"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418220823/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kerala/Poet-Kadammanitta-passes-away/Article1-294686.aspx |date=18 April 2014 }}. Hindustan Times. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2013. He was cremated with full state honours at the premises of his home in his birth village.

Major works

KurathiArchived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/WRFNdJ3IMmc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210228190745/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRFNdJ3IMmc Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRFNdJ3IMmc |title=Kurathi - Kadamanitta Kavithakal |last=Gayathri Productions |date=2019-01-22 |via=YouTube |access-date=2019-01-22}}{{cbignore}}
Kadinjool Pottan{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/lf/2003/07/05/stories/2003070501230200.htm |title=Poetry in a new (arc-)light |date=5 July 2003 |website=The Hindu |access-date=2019-01-22}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Misrathalam{{cite book|author=Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan|title=Misrathalam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b_AjQAAACAAJ|publisher=Lipi Publications|isbn=978-81-88801-21-3}}
Mazha Peyyunnu Maddhalam Kottunnu{{Cite web |url=http://www.indulekha.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1260 |title=Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu |date=2019-01-22 |website=indulekha.com |access-date=2019-01-22}}
Kadammanittayude Kavithakal{{Cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/25387909 |title=Kadammanittayude Kavithakal |date=2019-01-22 |website=goodreads.com |access-date=2019-01-22}}
Vellivelicham{{cite book|title=Vellivelicham|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Fb9KVaWt3gC|publisher=D C Books|isbn=978-81-240-1222-2}}
Sooryasila{{Cite web |url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/kadammanitta_ramakrishnan-profile-2239-25.htm |title=Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan profile |date=2019-01-22 |website=veethi.com |access-date=2019-01-22}}
Shantha
Kuppayilundoru Maanikyam
Ee Poochayaanente Dukham
Kunje Mulappaal Kudikkaruth

Awards

Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award 1982 (Kadammanittayude Kavithakal){{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/poetry.htm |title=Awards for Poetry |date=2019-01-22 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626195512/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/poetry.htm |archive-date=26 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}
Asan Prize 1995 (Kadammanittayude Kavithakal){{Cite web |url=http://asaneducation.com/asan_association/awards.html#list |title=ASAN MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION |date=2019-01-22 |website=asaneducation.com |access-date=2019-01-22 |archive-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145952/http://asaneducation.com/asan_association/awards.html#list |url-status=dead }}
Abu Dhabi Malayalam Samajam Award
New York Malayalam International Foundation Award{{Cite web |url=http://www.pravasidoha.org/basheerpuraskaram.htm |title=Recipients Since 1995 |date=2019-01-22 |website=pravasidoha.org |access-date=2019-01-22 |archive-date=20 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220055118/http://www.pravasidoha.org/basheerpuraskaram.htm |url-status=dead }}
Muscat Kerala Samskarika Kendram Award
Basheer Puraskaram (2004)
Mahakavi Pandalam Keralavarma Poetry Award(2006)