V. Madhusoodanan Nair

V. Madhusoodanan Nair is an Indian poet and critic of Malayalam literature, who is credited with contributions in popularizing poetry through recitation. He is best known for Naranathu Bhranthan, the poem with the most editions in Malayalam literature as well as his music albums featuring recitations of his own poems and poems of other major poets. Kerala Sahitya Akademi honoured him with their annual award for poetry in 1993. He is also a recipient many other honours including Sahitya Akademi Award, Asan Smaraka Kavitha Puraskaram, Padmaprabha Literary Award, Kunju Pillai Award, R. G. Mangalom Award, Souparnikatheeram Prathibhapuraskaram and Janmashtami Puraskaram. V. Madhusoodanan Nair was born on February 25, 1949, at Aruviyodu, a small riverside village near Neyyattinkara, in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the south Indian state of Kerala to N. K. Velayudhan Pillai and Gourikutty Amma. He imbibed quite early the tradition of many a ritualistic song from his father, who was a reciter of Thottam Pattu. His early schooling was at the local schools in Neyyattinkara and Kotturkonam after which he passed a pre-degree course from Velu Thampi Memorial Nair Service Society College. Subsequently, he graduated from Mahatma Gandhi College and earned a master's degree from the University College Thiruvananthapuram. He started his career as a journalist, working at Kumkumam magazine and Veekshanam daily and also as a program announcer at the Thiruvananthapuram station of the All India Radio before working as a sub-editor at Kerala Bhasha Institute. Later, he shifted to academics by joining St. Xavier's College, Thiruvananthapuram as a faculty from where he superannuated from service as the Professor and Head of the Department of Malayalam. Madhusoodanan Nair is married to S. Malathi Devi and the couple has two daughters, Rashmi and Ramya and a son, Vishnu. The family lives in Devaswom Board Junction, Thiruvananthapuram.