Kochi: Renowned Malayalam writer and literary critic Prof MK Sanoo passed away on Saturday at 97. Fondly called as “Sanoo Mash” (teacher Sanoo), he died at 5.37 pm on the day as he was undergoing treatment at the Amritia Institute of Medical Sciences here.
Recently, he met with a fall and fractured his hip, and he underwent surgery. After the procedure, he developed breathing issues and desaturation, and was placed in the Intensive Care Unit, where he was being treated for pulmonary oedema and pneumonia, ONmanorama reported.
Sanoo was known as a writer, thinker, teacher, orator and former legislator. He mentored generations of students and wrote more than 40 books, receiving numerous honours, including Central and state Sahitya Akademi Awards.
Sanoo was born on October 27, 1928, in the Alappuzha district of Thumpoly. Born to MC Keshavan and KP Bhavani, Sanoo completed his MA in Malayalam from Thiruvananthapuram University College, achieving first rank. He began his career as a school teacher and later became a lecturer in various government colleges. He published his first book, Anchu Sastra Nayakanmar, in 1958 and entered literary criticism through his work Kaatum Velichavum.
His most well-known work might be the Malayalam biographical, Changampuzha Krishna Pillai: Nakshatrangalude Snehabhajanam. He also authored Ekanthaveethiyile Avadhoothan on Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Urangatha Maneeshi on P K Balakrishnan, Asthamikkatha Velicham on Albert Schweitzer, and Yukthivadi M C Joseph.
After retiring from service in 1983, he became the president of Purogamana Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Writers’ Association), and in 1987, he won the Ernakulam assembly seat as a Left-backed independent. However, he withdrew from active politics completely. He also served as chairman of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and director of the Sree Narayana Study Centre at the University of Kerala.
He received prestigious awards such as the Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Vayalar Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for overall contribution, Padmaprabha Award and the Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature Award.
His autobiography is Karmagathi.