Founder President: Prof. (Dr.) Puthusseri Ramachandran 

Prof (Dr.) Puthusseri Ramachandran (Born on 1928—), an eminent Malayalam poet, academic and Scholar, is a specialist in Dravidian linguistics  and ancient literature and served as Professor of Malayalam, in the University of Kerala for over three decades.  During this long tenure, he contributed significantly in the studies of Place Names and Malayalam Epigraphy.

1 Biography

Dr. Ramachandran was born on Sept., 23, 1928, at Vallikunnam, a village near Mavelikara in  Alappuzha district, Kerala to Mr. Pokkatt Damodaran Pillai and Mrs. Puthusseri Janaki Amma, but sadly lost his dad at the very young age of 16 y. He had his early education in the Sanskrit school at Vallikunnam and earned the title of ‘Shastri’.

For High School education , Ramachandran enrolled in the Pope Pius XI English High School, Bharanikkavu near Mavelikara. He was very active in student movement and served as the President of Middle Travancore Committee of Students’ Congress. He was suspended from the school for his involvement in the Indian freedom struggle.

When Ramachandran joined the S.N.College, Kollam for the Intermediate Course, he got deeply involved in student movement as the leader of the Students’ Federation and was imprisoned. But later, he enrolled in the University College, Trivandrum for a B.A.(Hons) Degree in Malayalam language and literature, where he earned first class and first rank in the University of Travancore.  His PhD was in Linguistics in 1970 from the same university.

Career

In 1957, Ramachandran started his career as a lecturer in Malayalam at Sree Narayana College, Kollam. Later in 1969, he was appointed as Lecturer in Malayalam, in University of Kerala. Ramachandran retired in 1988, as Professor of Malayalam and Dean, Faculty of Oriental Studies after a long tenure of 3 plus decades. Ramachandran also served as the Honorary Director of International Centre for Kerala Studies in University of Kerala.

In addition, Dr. Puthusseri  Ramachandran was a member of the Syndicate of the University of Kerala and was the General Secretary of First World Malayalam Conference (1977) organised by the University of Kerala.  He was the Organizing Secretary of the First All India Conference on Dravidian Linguistics which led to the formation of Dravidian Linguistics Association and founding of International School of Dravidian Linguistics in Thiruvananthapuram. He is currently the President of Place Name Society and the Director of Asian-African and Latin American Studies.

Ramachandran, the Poet

His first poem, Onnanthyakkuttam, was puhlished in 1944 at the tender age 16 y. The themes of his early creations were centered on the images of life and struggle around his surroundings. Most of his early poems had undertones of freedom struggle. But later on, his poetry mirrored his involvement in revolutionary politics. During the period known as Pink Decade (1945–1955) of Malayalam Poetry, young poets inspired by revolutionary ideology of Marxism was active, Puthussery was in the forefront. In the later period he was the critical insider to the left politics and his poems, thee peyyaruthe mazhamukile, moongayum pananmarum etc. reflect this sentiment. Though he shared some common characteristics in theme and style picked from the daily life of the common man, he later developed his own poetic identity drawing inspiration from the spiritual tradition of Indian Philosophy.

As a poet Dr. Puthusseri Ramachandran is well acclaimed and considered as one among the writers like Vayalar Rama Varma, ONV Kurup and others who have a commitment to the social problems. As a translator of poems from other languages like English, Sanskrit and Tamil his contributions are unique in many respects. The Sahitya Akademi has recognised his contributions by giving him the national award for translation. In 2009 Kerala Sahitya Akademi conferred him with the Fellowship, the most distinguished honour of the Academy.

Research Pursuits

After securing his own place in Malayalam poetry in the second half of the last century, Dr. Puthussery Ramachandran devoted his endeavours to the in-depth study of the early and medieval Malayalam language and early history of Kerala. He had first published the Yuddhakanda of Kannassaramayana, copied from the palm-leaf text and prepared a critical edition with linguistic and sociological study. Later he published the complete text of Kannassa Ramayana, the first complete Ramayana in Malayalam with scholarly notes and interpretations. Moreover, he had also published the critical edition of Bhasha Bhagavad Gita by Madhavan, one of the Kannassa trios. Dr. Puthussery’s most important scholarly book may be his Herculean work on early history of Kerala entitled Keralcharitrathinte Adisthanarekhakal (The Basic Documents of the History of Kerala). This mammoth volume includes the translation of old Malayalam inscriptions into modern Malayalam with the comments on their linguistic and historical commentary.

Dr. Puthusseri has been tirelessly trying his best in the public sphere for the due recognition of Malayalam language and literature and their uplifting. On the basis of the elaborate document prepared and submitted by Government of Kerala with his guidance and leadership, Malayalam was recognised as a classical language by the Government of India in 2013. He had taken the initiative in organising the first World Malayalam Conference in 1977 in Thiruvananthapuram.

In recognition of his contributions to the studies on Early and Medieval Malayalam language and literature, the Sahitya Akademi has selected Dr. Puthusseri for Bhasha Samman in 2014.

 

Bibliography

Puthusseri Ramachandran started writing poems since 1944. He wrote ten volumes of poetry collection and five volumes of translated works from Tamil, Russian, African Languages etc.

 

 

Poetry

  • Ente Swathantryasamara Kavithakal (Poems written for India’s Freedom Struggle), 1948 (Reprint 1998)
  • Grameena Gayakan (1948)
  • Aavunnathra Uchchathil (1954)
  • Puthiyakollanum Puthiyoralayum (1960)
  • Sakthipooja (1965)
  • Akalumthorum (1970)
  • Agnaye Swaha (1988)
  • Puthusseri Ramachandrante Kavithakal (Selected Poems) (1988)
  • Utsavabali (1998)
  • Ee Veettil Aarumille (2003)
  • Puthusserikkavithakal (Complete poetical works) (2008)

Prose

  • Ee Mannil Evarodoppam (Memoirs) (2011)
  • Theranjedutha Prabhandangal (Selected Essays) (2012)

 

Translations

  • Media (Greek Tragedy by Euripides) (1965)
  • African Kavithakal (33 poems from 13 African Countries) (1989)
  • Charamageetham (Anna Akhmatova‘s poems in Russian) (1989)
  • Kulashekhara Alwarude Perumal Tirumozhi (Early Tamil Poem) (2001)
  • Puthusseriyude Vivarthanangal (2008)
  • Russian African Kavithakal (2012)

Critiques

  • Kannassa Ramayanam (Balakandam) 1967
  • Kannassa Ramayanam (Yudhakandam) (Published for the first time based on a manuscript of AD 1519) (1971)
  • Pracheena Malayalam (Collection Inscriptions) (1978)
  • Kannassa Ramayanam (Sundarakandam) (1980)
  • Kannassa Ramayanam (Kishkindakandam) (1984)
  • Kerala Panineeya Vimarsam (Collection of critical essays with introduction) (1986)
  • Kerala Panineeyam (Reprint of the first edition of Malayalam grammar with critical introduction) (1989)
  • Bhasha Bhagavath Gita (Complete text with critical edition and commentary) (2002)
  • Kannassa Ramayanam (Complete text with critical edition and commentary) (2013)

Festschrift on Dr. Puthusseri Ramachandran

  • Kavitha Kaalathinte Sakshi (1998)
  • Studies in Dravidian Place Names (1993)
  • Karuththinte Mozhithottam (2016)

English

  • Language of Middle Malayalam (1972)
  • Perspectives in Place Name Studies (Editor) (1987)
  • Studies in Dravidian Place Names (Editor) (1989)
  • Ellis  on Malayalam Language (2003)

Works Translated

  • Puthusseri ki Kavitha (Hindi) (2001)

His poems were translated into Hindi, English and Tamil published in various journals.

 

Awards

  • Ezhuthachan Award, Kerala Govt (2015)
  • Bhasha Samman, Sahitya Akademi (2014)
  • Translation Award, Sahitya Akademi (2005)
  • Fellowship, Kerala Sahitya Akademi (2009)
  • Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions (1999)
  • Mahakavi Muloor Award (1998)
  • Mahakavi P. Kunhiraman Nair Award (1998)
  • Malayali Association Award, Houston (1998)
  • All India Radio National Award (1998)
  • Mahakavi Ulloor Award (2000)
  • Dubai Kairali Kalakendram Award (2000)
  • Ramapurathu Warrier Award (2001)
  • A. P. Kalakkad Award (2002)
  • Kannassa Smaraka Award (2003)
  • P. T. Bhaskara Panicker Memorial INDIS Award (2004)
  • Sahitya Kalanidhi (Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha) (2005)
  • Abudhabi Sakthi Award (2006)
  • T. A. Majeed Award (2006)
  • K. Damodaran Award (2008)
  • N. V. Krishna Warrier Vignjaana Puraskaram, (2008)
  • Mahakavi Vallathol Award (2008)
  • Asan Smaraka Kavitha Puraskaram (Asan Memorial Association, Chennai) (2008)
  • Yesenin Award, Russia (2012)
  • K. C. Pillai Award, Saudi Arabia

 

Academic Positions Held

  • Member, Syndicate, University of Kerala (1976–1980)
  • Member, Senate, University of Kerala (1970–1988)
  • Chairman, Board of Studies, Malayalam, University of Kerala
  • Chairman, PG Board of Examinations, University of Kerala
  • Member, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Kerala
  • Member, Academic Council, University of Kerala
  • President, Place Name Society, Thiruvananthapuram
  • Director, Asian African and Latin American Studies
  • Chairman, Kannassa Vidyapeedam

Member, board of directors, Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sa