Muttathu Varkey (18 April 1913 - 28 May 1989) was a Malayalam

Malayalam language

Malayalam , is one of the four major Dravidian languages of southern India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India with official language status in the state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. It is spoken by 35.9 million people...

 novelist, short story

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

 writer, and poet from Kerala state, South India

South India

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

.

Early life and career

Varkey was born in Chethipuzha

Chethipuzha

Chethipuzha is a village in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Chethipuzha had a population of 24842 with 12197 males and 12645 females....

, a small village near Changanassery in Kottayam district

Kottayam district

Kottayam is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The district has its headquarters at Kottayam town, located at 9.36° N and 76.17° E. According to the 1991 census, it is the first district to achieve highest literacy rate in the whole of India...

, Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

. He began his career as a school teacher at Saint Berchmans High School, Changanassery. He then took up the job of an accountant in a timber

Lumber

Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....

 factory. For a brief period, Varkey taught in a Tutorial College run by M. P. Paul

M. P. Paul

M. P. Paul was a scholar and a well-known literary critic of Malayalam. He was among the torchbearers of the progressive literature movement in Kerala...

. He then joined Deepika newspaper as an associated editor

Editing

Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...

 and remained there for next 26 years until his retirement in 1974.

Literary career

Muttathu Varkey emerged as one of the popular writer of Malayalam fiction. He was a prolific writer and has penned a total of 132 books, including 65 novels. The rest of his works include collection of short stories, plays

Play (theatre)

A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...

, and poetries. Many of his novels were adapted into Malayalam films, including Prem Nazir

Prem Nazir

Abdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...

 starrer Padatha Painkili

Padatha Painkili

Padatha Painkili is a 1957 Malayalam social drama film based on the novel of the same name by Muttathu Varkey and directed by P. Subramaniam from a screenplay by Varkey. The film is a social drama that revolves around marriage and dowry problems...

(1957), Inapravukal (1965), Velutha Kathreena

Velutha Kathreena

Velutha Kathreena is a 1968 Malayalam film directed by Sasikumar based on the famous novel of the same name written by Muttathu Varkey. The heroine centric film stars Sheela, Prem Nazir and Sathyan in the lead roles.-Plot:...

(1968), and Mayiladum Kunnu (1972) and Sathyan

Sathyaneshan Nadar

Manuel Sathyaneshan Nadar commonly known by his stage name Sathyan, was an Indian film actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has won the Kerala State Film Award twice and is renowned for his acting skills...

 starrer Karakanakadal (1971) and Akkarapacha (1972).

Selected works

• Paadaatha Painkili
• Oru Kudayum Kunjupengalum
• Inapravukal
• Karakanakkadal
• Mayiladum Kunnu
• Velutha Kathreena
• Akkarappacha
• Azhakulla Selina
• Pattuthoovaala

Muttathu Varkey Awards

Muttathu Varkey Foundation has instituted The Muttathu Varkey literary award to be presented yearly to Malayalm writers. The winner is selected by popular vote with final decisions made by prominent judges. The prominent winners of the award include, O. V. Vijayan

O. V. Vijayan

Ootupulackal Velukkuty Vijayan was an Indian author and cartoonist, who was an important figure in modern Malayalam literature. Best known for his first novel Khasakkinte Itihasam , Vijayan has six novels, nine short-story collections, and nine collections of essays, memoirs and reflections.-...

 (1992), Vaikom Muhammad Basheer

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer was a Malayalam fiction writer from the state of Kerala in India. He was a humanist, freedom fighter, novelist and short story writer. He is noted for his pathbreaking, disarmingly down-to-earth style of writing that made him equally popular among literary critics as well...

 (1993), M. T. Vasudevan Nair

M. T. Vasudevan Nair

Madathil Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair , popularly known as MT, is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He was born in Kudallur, a small village in the present day Palakkad District, which was under the Malabar District in the Madras Presidency of the British Raj...

 (1994), Kovilan

Kovilan

Kandanisseri Vattomparambil Velappan Ayyappan , better known as Kovilan, was a Malayalam language novelist from Kerala state, South India. He was considered to be one of the most prolific writers of contemporary Indian Literature. He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 1972 and 1977 and the...

 (1995), Kakkanadan

Kakkanadan

George Varghese Kakkanadan , commonly known as Kakkanadan, was a Malayalam language short story writer and novelist from Kerala state, South India. He is often credited with laying the foundation of modernism in Malayalam literature...

 (1996), VKN

V. K. N.

V.K.N. or VKN was a pathbreaking and celebrated Malayalam writer, noted mainly for his high-brow satire. Apart from novels, he wrote short stories and political commentaries...

 (1997), M. Mukundan

M. Mukundan

M. Mukundan is one of the pioneers of modernity in Malayalam literature, belonging to Mahe, part of Pondicherry Union Territory in South India. He was born on 10 September 1942 at Mayyazhi , a one-time French territory in India...

 (1998), Punathil Kunhabdulla (1999), Anand (2000), N. P. Mohammed

N. P. Mohammed

N. P. Mohammed , popularly known by his initials N.P., was a well known Malayalam novelist and short story writer from Kerala state, South India. He, along with his contemporaries like M. T. Vasudevan Nair, O. V. Vijayan, Kakkanadan, and Kamala Das ushered in a modernist movement in Malayalam...

 (2001), Ponkunnam Varkey

Ponkunnam Varkey

Ponkunnam Varkey was a writer and activist living in Kerala, India. He isconsidered a leading figure of the 'progressive' school of Malayalam fiction....

 (2002), Sethu

Sethu (writer)

A. Sethumadhavan, popularly known as Sethu, is a Malayalam fictional writer. He has published more than 30 books.He received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards in 1982 and 1978 for his works "Pandavapuram" and "Pediswapnangal"; and Vayalar Award for "Adyalangal" in 2005...

 (2003), C. Radhakrishnan

C. Radhakrishnan

C. Radhakrishnan is a renowned writer and film director in Malayalam language from Kerala state, South India. He has been honored by both the National Sahitya Academy of India and the Kerala Sahithya Academy of Kerala . He has been conferred the Vayalar Award , Mahakavi G...

 (2004), Zacharia

Paul Zacharia

Paul Zacharia is a Malayalam short story writer, novelist and essayist. Born in Urulikkunnam in Kottayam district in Kerala, India, Zacharia lives in Trivandrum.-Literary career:...

 (2005), Kamala Surayya (2006), T. Padmanabhan

Thinakkal Padmanabhan

Thinakkal Padmanabhan, popularly known as T. Padmanabhan is a short story writer in Malayalam. After education, he embarked on a career as a factory employee. In 1989, he retired as the general deputy manager. He has written 162 stories...

 (2007), M. Sukumaran

M. Sukumaran

M. Sukumaran is an author and short story writer in Malayalam. He was born at Chittoor in Palakkad District, Kerala. Won the Kerala Sahithya Academy award in 1976 for his book Marichittillathavarude Smarakangal....

 (2008), N.S. Madhavan (2009), P. Valsala

P. Valsala

P. Valsala is a Malayalam novelist, short story writer, social activist, and a retired Head Mistress from Kerala state, South India. She a recipient of Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal...

 (2010), and Sarah Joseph

Sarah Joseph (author)

Sarah Joseph is a novelist and short story writer in Malayalam. She won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal . She also received the Vayalar Award for the same novel. Sarah has been at the forefront of the feminist movement in Kerala and is the founder of Manushi –...

(2011).

External links

• muttathuvarkey.com