Kanayi Kunhiraman

File:Govt Fine Arts College Madras.jpg

Kunhiraman was born on 25 July 1937 at Kuttamath in Hosdurg Taluk of Kanhangad in Kasaragod District of the south Indian state of Kerala.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kanayikunhiraman.com/ |title=Biography |date=11 March 2019 |website=Web archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825073317/http://www.kanayikunhiraman.com/ |access-date=11 March 2019|archive-date=25 August 2011 }} After early schooling at the local schools in Kuttamath and Puthaott, he joined Raja's high school, Nileshwaram to pass the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination in 1957.{{Cite web |url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/kanayi_kunhiraman-profile-3632-42.htm |title=Kanayi Kunhiraman - Veethi profile |date=11 March 2019 |website=veethi.com |access-date=11 March 2019}} A teacher at his school, by name Krishnan Kutty, encouraged him to pursue his artistic interests but he did not get encouragement from his family which forced him to flee home to Chennai where he studied sculpture at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai.{{Cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/tracking-indian-communities/men-o-pause/ |title=Men-o-pause |date=17 October 2015 |website=Times of India Blog |language=en-US |access-date=11 March 2019}} It was during his days here, Kunhiraman had the opportunity to come in contact with K. C. S. Paniker who was a faculty and later, the principal of the institution.{{cn|date=January 2023}} After completing the course, he worked as a part-time teacher at Ethiraj College for Women from 1961 but when he received the Commonwealth Scholarship, he moved to England to study at the Slade School of Fine Art in 1965; he spent three years at the school. On his return to Kerala, he undertook a number of assignments and in 1976, he was invited to head the department of sculpture of the College of Fine Arts Trivandrum; he would also serve the institution as its principal until 1978 when he was nominated as the chair of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi; he would also chair the academy again in 2001.

Kunhiraman is married to Nalini.{{Cite web |url=https://english.manoramaonline.com/entertainment/art-and-culture/our-culture-is-colossal-so-are-my-sculptures-kanayi-kunhiraman.html |title=Our culture is colossal, so are my sculptures |website=OnManorama |access-date=12 March 2019}}

File:Greater Cochin Development Authority.JPG building]]

On his return to Kerala from Chennai, Kunhiraman was commissioned by the irrigation department of Kerala, on recommendation from K. C. S. Paniker,{{Cite web |url=http://mywordsnthoughts.com/myworld/all-about-kerala/malambuzhas-own-yakshi-turns-50-this-year-do-you-know-her-story/ |title=Malambuzha's own Yakshi turns 50 this year. Do you know her story? |last=Sandy |date=13 February 2018 |website=My Words & Thoughts |language=en-US |access-date=11 March 2019}} for an art work to be installed at the Malampuzha dam garden and he created Yakshi, a {{convert|18|ft|adj=on|order=flip}} statue of a naked woman, sitting on the lawns; the sensuality of the sculpture drew protests from traditionalists. Two years later, he was invited by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) for two sculptures in the premises of their new office in Kadavanthra and he created Environmental Pieces and Mukkola Perumal, both concrete sculptures.{{Cite web |url=http://b3.zcubes.com/v3.aspx?mid=205383&title=sculptures-of-kanayi-kunhiraman |title=Sculptures of Kanayi Kunhiraman |website=b3.zcubes.com |access-date=12 March 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He also created a sculpture, Fertility at Ambalamedu premises of the Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore. In 1990, he completed the Jalakanyaka (Mermaid), a {{convert|23|m|adj=on}} sculpture at Shankumugham Beach, in Thiruvananthapuram;{{Cite web |url=http://mermaidsofearth.com/mermaid-statues-mermaid-sculptures/public/the-jalakanyaka-mermaid-statue-in-thiruvananthapuram/ |title=The Jalakanyaka Mermaid statue in Thiruvananthapuram, India |date=11 March 2019 |website=Mermaids of Earth |language=en-US |access-date=11 March 2019}} The beach also has another of his sculptures titled, Snake.

The bronze bust of K. P. P. Nambiar, the Padma Bhushan winning technocrat,{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/of-bonds-with-a-trailblazer-technocrat/article24283133.ece |title=Of bonds with a trailblazer technocrat |author=Staff Reporter |date=29 June 2018 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=11 March 2019}} and the bust of K. C. Mammen Mappillai are two conventional sculptures created by Kunhiraman. Amma in Payyambalam, Akshara Shilpam in Kottayam,{{Cite web |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2018/apr/03/a-visual-journey-through-the-life-of-the-master-sculptor-1796543.html |title=A visual journey through the life of the master sculptor |website=The New Indian Express |date=4 April 2018 |access-date=12 March 2019}} Conch, Seats, Nandi and Embrace at Veli Tourist Village,{{Cite web |url=http://www.walkthroughindia.com/offbeat/top-10-magnificent-statues-and-sculpture-in-kerala/ |title=Top 10 Magnificent Statues and Sculpture in Kerala |website=walkthroughindia.com |date=14 April 2016 |language=en-US |access-date=12 March 2019}} are some of his other works.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kanayikunhiraman.com/worksofart.html |title=Kanai Kunhiraman - Works of Art |date=23 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923083735/http://www.kanayikunhiraman.com/worksofart.html |access-date=11 March 2019|archive-date=23 September 2011 }} Melathara and Kalithara, dedicated to public with the accompaniment from a violin concert by L. Athira Krishna in Kollam in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.athira.in/Awards.html|title=AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS|publisher=Athira|accessdate=23 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815214949/http://athira.in/Awards.html|archivedate=15 August 2014}} and the Aksharashilpam, at the premises of the public library in Kottayam feature among his more recent works.{{Cite web |url=http://malankaraorthodox.tv/?p=36096 |title=Article about Kanayi Kunhiraman by Fr. Dr. K. M. George |date=12 March 2019 |website=Malankara Orthodox TV |language=en-GB |access-date=12 March 2019}} He has also published on poetry anthology, titled, Kānāyi Kuñhirāmant̲e Kavitakaḷ.{{cite book|author=Kanayi Kunhiraman|title=Kānāyi Kuññirāmant̲e kavitakaḷ|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4oDEwAEACAAJ|year=2009|publisher=Ḍi. Si. Buks|isbn=978-81-264-2323-1}}

Kunhiraman, who has designed many of the statuettes for various awards in Kerala,{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/30/stories/2005043011220500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113122716/http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/30/stories/2005043011220500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 January 2016 |website=The Hindu |title=Kerala News : Raja Ravi Varma award for Kanayi |date=30 April 2005 |access-date=12 March 2019}} was selected by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi for their annual award, Raja Ravi Varma Award, in 2005, making him the first sculptor to receive the honour.{{Cite web |url=http://lalithkala.org/content/raja-ravi-varma-puraskaram |title=Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram - Kerala Lalithakala Akademi |date=12 March 2019 |website=lalithkala.org |access-date=12 March 2019}} He received the Thikkurissy Award in 2006{{Cite web |url=http://www.kanayikunhiraman.com/awards.html |title=Kanai Kunhiraman Awards |date=23 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923110211/http://www.kanayikunhiraman.com/awards.html |access-date=11 March 2019|archive-date=23 September 2011 }} and Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath awarded him the inaugural MS Nanjunda Rao National Award for Art in 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/dance-of-the-giants/article22367066.ece |title=Sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman honoured with Nanjunda Rao National Award for Art |last=Govind |first=Ranjani |date=4 January 2018 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=12 March 2019}} Lalit Kala Akademi, the national academy of India for fine arts, published a book on Kunhiraman's works in 2008.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/iconic-sculptor-to-receive-first-ever-nanjunda-rao-award-today/article19211451.ece |title=Iconic sculptor to receive first ever Nanjunda Rao Award today |last=Govind |first=Ranjani |date=4 July 2017 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=12 March 2019}}{{Cite book |title=Kanayi Kunhiraman |last=Vijayakumār Mēnōn |date=2008 |publisher=Lalit Kala Akademi |isbn=9788187507345 |location=New Delhi |language=English |oclc=289070886}} In 2011, he received the T. K. Ramakrishnan Award instituted by Abu Dhabi Sakthi Theatres for his overall contribution.{{Cite web |url=http://epathram.com/gulfnews-2010/10/18/185425-26th-shakthi-thayat-award-night-at-abudhabi.html |title=അബുദാബി ശക്തി അവാര്‍ഡ് സമര്‍പ്പണം വ്യാഴാഴ്ച |publisher=ePathram |date=18 October 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707081659/http://epathram.com/gulfnews-2010/10/18/185425-26th-shakthi-thayat-award-night-at-abudhabi.html |archive-date=7 July 2014 |access-date=5 January 2023 }} He was conferred the Kerala Sree award instituted by Government of Kerala in 2022.{{cite web |title=M T Vasudevan Nair chosen for Kerala's first highest state-level award |url=https://www.ptinews.com/news/national/m-t-vasudevan-nair-chosen-for-keralas-first-highest-state-level-award/445006.html |website=Press Trust of India |publisher=PTI |access-date=1 November 2022}}

• {{Cite book |title=Kānāyi Kuñhirāman: Br̥hadākāraṅgaḷuṭe śhilppi |last=Puṣhparāj |first=Nēmaṃ |publisher=State Institute of Languages |location=Kerala |date=2012 |isbn=9788176381284 |oclc=869823336}}
• {{Cite book |title=Kanayi Kunhiraman |last=Vijayakumār Mēnōn |date=2008 |publisher=Lalit Kala Akademi |isbn=9788187507345 |location=New Delhi |language=English |oclc=289070886}}

File:Mermaid-Shankumukham.jpg|Mermaid (Jalakanyaka) at Shankumugham Beach, Thiruvananthapuram.

File:Yakshi-kanai.JPG|Yakshi at the Malampuzha dam garden

File:Kanayi & Jalakanyaka.jpg|Kanayi with the photo of Jalakanyaka in the backdrop

File:Kanai Shamghumukhan Thiruvananthapuram.JPG|Another sculpture at Shankumugham Beach

File:Kanayi Kunhiraman and Yakshi.jpg|The sculptor and Yakshi

File:Kanayi Kunhiraman at Thiruvananthapuram 03.jpg|Kanayi Kunhiraman at Thiruvananthapuram

File:Kumaran Asan Smarakam, Thonnakkal (50).JPG|Kumaran Asan Smarakam at Thonnakkal

File:Sculpture kanayi kunhiraman.jpg|Aattam at Veli Tourist Village

File:Kanayi Kunhiraman Portrait.jpg|alt=Kanayi Kunhiraman

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• {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHxGmxoAgDI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/GHxGmxoAgDI |archive-date=21 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=Kanayi Kunhiraman's sculpture Garden in Kottayam Public Library |last=asianetnews |website=YouTube |date=27 March 2015 |access-date=11 March 2019}}{{cbignore}}
• {{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/garbage-dumping-issue-reaches-a-flashpoint/article2726198.ece |title=Garbage dumping issue reaches a flashpoint |last=Mahadevan |first=G. |date=18 December 2011 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=11 March 2019}}

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Category:Malayali people

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of London

Category:1937 births

Category:Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai alumni

Category:Indian male sculptors

Category:People from Kasaragod district

Category:Artists from Kerala

Category:20th-century Indian sculptors

Category:21st-century Indian sculptors

Category:Indian contemporary sculptors

Category:20th-century Indian male artists

Category:21st-century Indian male artists

Category:Kerala Sree Award Winners

Category:Recipients of the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award