Kozhikode: The irreplaceable literary icon who taught Malayalees to dream and live through words, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, has passed away. He was 91. He breathed his last at a private hospital in Kozhikode. He had been undergoing treatment for health issues over the past few days and passed away late at night.
M.T. was under the care of expert doctors. He was admitted to the hospital on December 15 due to breathing difficulties. While undergoing treatment, he suffered a heart attack, leading to his demise. M.T.’s departure is an irreparable loss to Malayalam literature and cinema.
Born on July 15, 1933, in Kudallur, Punnayurkulam, Thrissur, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, originally named Tekket Narayanan Nair and Ammalu Amma’s son, completed his primary education at the Koppen Master’s Kudippallikoodam, Malamakkavu Elementary School, and Kumaranellur High School. He pursued higher studies at the prestigious Victoria College in Palakkad, majoring in chemistry. After his studies, he began working as a teacher in Chavakkad and Pattambi. Later, he moved to Kozhikode after securing a job at the Mathrubhumi newspaper, where he lived until his death.
M.T.’s first novel, *Pathiravum Pakalvelichavum*, was published as a serial. In 1958, his first book, *Naalukettu*, was published, earning him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award that same year. Considered one of the greatest classics in Malayalam literature, *Naalukettu* was later translated into around 14 languages and remains a prominent title on the Malayalam bestseller list even today.
