Kochi: The last chapter in the life of MK Sanu, a literary colossus and cultural conscience of Kerala, has come to a close. Revered as a scholar, writer, orator, teacher, and reformist, Sanu Mash as he was lovingly called was laid to rest on Sunday evening at the Ravipuram crematorium with full state honours. Kerala mourns the loss of a man whose pen, voice, and thoughts lit generations.
His passing marks the end of an era. At 98, Sanu Mash remained a lively presence in public discourse until just days ago. His sudden fall and subsequent hip injury led to hospitalization at Amrita Hospital, where complications from pneumonia hastened his demise. The end came at 5:35 p.m. on Saturday.
Waves of admirers and mourners flowed into his residence and the Ernakulam Town Hall where his body was placed for public homage. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan, literary figures, students, and countless admirers gathered to bid their final farewell to a figure who shaped the cultural consciousness of modern Kerala.
Born on October 27, 1928, in Thumboli, Alappuzha, M.K. Sanu’s early life was defined by contrasts born into an affluent joint family, he was thrust into hardship after the untimely death of his father. From that crucible of struggle emerged a self-made man whose career as a teacher began in modest classrooms and later bloomed in the lecture halls of government colleges.
His literary journey took flight with the publication of Anchu Sastra Nayakanmar in 1958, and just two years later, his critical work Kadum Vayuvum established him as a fearless and thoughtful literary voice. He retired from teaching in 1983, but far from retreating, he moved into the heart of Kerala’s progressive literary movements, becoming president of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham in 1986.
Sanu was not only a man of letters but also one of action. In 1987, contesting as an independent supported by the Left, he defeated Congress heavyweight A.L. Jacob in the Ernakulam Assembly constituency, demonstrating his moral and intellectual appeal across political lines.
Even at the twilight of his life, his mind remained undimmed. His last published work, a reflective volume on Tapaswini Amma, came out at the age of 98 a testament to his lifelong romance with truth, thought, and literary expression.
As the smoke from the Ravipuram crematorium rose into the Kochi sky, so too did the spirit of a man who lit many minds and molded the moral compass of Malayali society. MK Sanu now belongs to history, but his ideas remain immortal etched in ink, embedded in classrooms, and enshrined in the conscience of Kerala.