SUKUMAR AZHIKODU CHOSEN FOR THE MATHRUBHUMI AWARD-2011

       SUKUMAR AZHIKODU CHOSEN FOR THE MATHRUBHUMI AWARD-2011

Renowned literary critic and orator Dr Sukumar Azhikode has been chosen for the Mathrubhumi Literary Award instituted by Malayalam daily 'Mathrubhumi'. The award carries Rs two lakh prize money, a statuette and a citation, the daily's Chairman and Managing Director M P Veerendrakumar said in a release Kozhicode, 5th October, 2011. A three-member panel headed by Vishnunarayanan Namboodiri, chose Azhikode for the award. Dr K S Ravikumar and Dr Khadeja Mumtaz are the other two members of the panel. Azhikode could be considered as the 'conscience of Kerala culture', the panel observed.

   As a writer and as an orator, Azhikode had acted as a stimulant in the society in the last seventy years. He had won several awards including the Central Sahitya Academy and Kerala Sahitya Academy awards.Dr. Sukumar Azhikode was born on May 26, 1926 at Azhikode, Kannur. He took BT in Malayalam followed by MA and PhD in Malayalam. Azhikode was a teacher at Rajas High School, Chirackal, St. Aloysius College, Mangalore and Devagiri College, Kozhikode and later Principal of SNM Training College, Moottakunnam, and a Professor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University. He retired in 1986.

   Azhikode's most famous work is Tatvamasi, an authoritative book on Indian Philosophy, Vedas and Upanishads. He has won many awards including the Indian Sahitya Academi Award, Kerala Sahithya Academy Award, Vayalar Award and the Rajaji Award. He is now resding at Iravimangalam, Thrissur. Earlier Vishnunarayanan Nampoothiri, Kovilan, Thikkodiyan, M V Devan, Pala Narayanan Nair , O V Vijayan, MT Vasudevan Nair, M Mukundan and Akkitham bagged the award.

                                                           Prof. John Kurakar