Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon Biography: Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon is an Indian poet who was born in Kaloor on 11 May 1911 and passed away on 22 December 1985. As per one of his concluding wishes, his body was cremated on the banks of the Bharathappuzha River upon his passing.
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon Biography
Early Years
11 May 1911, in Kaloor, Ernakulam, Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon was born to Cheranellore Kochukuttan Kartha and Nanikutty Amma.[1] Menon received his early education from a local Asan (teacher). He then attended the Government Primary School in Kaloor and St. Albert’s High School in Ernakulam, where he concluded his high school education in 1927. He graduated with a degree in Science from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. In 1931, he began his career in government service as a teacher at Kandassamkadavu Government High School after obtaining a BT degree from Seythapet Training College, Madras.
Career
His teaching career led him to twenty schools in Kerala before he retired in 1966 as the headmaster of Ollur High School, which is now known as Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon Memorial Government Vocational Higher Secondary School.He participated in literary organisations such as Kerala Sahitya Akademi and Sahitya Pravartaka Sahakarana Sanghom, where he served on the organising committee and board of directors, respectively. He also served as the editor of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad’s official publication.[2] In 1981, he was selected as the founding president of Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham, a forum of progressive writers guided by leftist intellectuals and artists. He held this position until 1985.[4][5] He represented Kerala at the 1951 (Delhi), 1959 (Delhi), and 1965 (Bengaluru) national poets’ meetings and toured the Soviet Union in 1970.[6]
Menon married schoolteacher Bhanumathi Amma in 1955.They had two sons, the ayurvedic physician Sreekumar and the homoeopathic physician Vijayakumar.[7] Nevertheless, the couple had disagreements[8] and were living separately when he perished on December 22, 1985 of a brain haemorrhage.He was survived by Bhanumathi Amma, who passed away on June 26, 2018
Honours and awards
In 1964, Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon received both the Soviet Land Nehru Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi’s annual poetry award for his collection Kaipavallari.1971 saw him receive the Odakkuzhal Award for Vida.The same year, [18] the anthology was awarded the Kendra Sahithya Academy Award.In 1981, his work Makarakoythu was chosen for the Vayalar Award.In addition, he received the Madras State Government Award, the Kalyani Krishna Menon Prize, and the M. P. Paul Prize. In his honour, an annual literary accolade, the Vyloppilli Poetry accolade, has been established.The Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala has constructed in Nanthancode, Thiruvananthapuram, a multi-purpose cultural complex named Vailoppilly Samskrithi Bhavan in honour of the poet Vailoppilly Samskrithi.The museum building also contains Menon’s personal possessions.[23] Another institution that bears Menon’s name is the Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon Memorial Government Vocational Higher Secondary School in Ollur, where he served as headmaster before his retirement.
Legacy
Valoppilli Samskrithi Bhavan Menon is regarded as one of the most influential voices in Malayalam poetry who ushered in the modern era. Literary historians regard him as one of the most influential voices in Malayalam poetry who characterised the transition from the Romantic to the Modern era. All of his poems, both lyrical and narrative, demonstrate his mastery of the form. He published approximately twenty volumes, including poetry, plays, and biographies. His magnum opus, Kudiyozhikkal, is a ruthless self-examination of a landowner from the middle class who realises that the future belongs to his impoverished tenant.
His other significant works include Vida, Kannikkoythu, Makarakoythu and Kaipavallari. Madathakkili, one of his compositions, was used as a song in the film Vajrram.
