Madhavikutty

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Kamala Surayya (born Kamala Das, pen name Madhavikutty in Malayalam)
• Pen Name: Madhavikutty (Malayalam), Kamala Das (English)
• Born: 31 March 1934, Punnayurkulam, Thrissur, Kerala, India
• Died: 31 May 2009, Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Profession: Poet, short story writer, novelist, memoirist
• Languages Known: Malayalam, English
• Education: Attended schools in Calcutta and Malabar; largely self-taught as a writer
• Family: Father – V. M. Nair (managing editor of Mathrubhumi newspaper); Mother – Balamani Amma (poet); Husband – K. Madhava Das; Children – three sons
• Awards: Sahitya Akademi Award for Collected Poems (1985), Asian Poetry Prize (1998), Kent Award for English Writing from Asian Countries (1999), Ezhuthachan Award (2009)
• Known For: Bold, confessional poetry and prose exploring female identity, love, and social constraints

Biography

Kamala Surayya, known as Madhavikutty in Malayalam and Kamala Das in English, was one of the most remarkable literary voices in modern India. She was born in 1934 in Punnayurkulam, Kerala, into a family steeped in literature. Her mother, Balamani Amma, was a noted poet, and her father worked in publishing. This environment shaped her interest in words from an early age.

She began writing in both Malayalam and English, quickly earning a reputation for her honesty and boldness. In Malayalam, as Madhavikutty, she wrote short stories and novels that depicted the struggles and inner lives of ordinary people, especially women. In English, as Kamala Das, she published poetry that spoke directly about love, desire, pain, and loneliness. Her first collection, Summer in Calcutta (1965), gave Indian English poetry a new, confessional voice that was rare at the time.

Her autobiography Ente Katha (My Story, 1976) made her one of the most talked about writers in the country. It was deeply personal and unapologetic, describing her emotional life, relationships, and identity. While some critics were shocked, readers connected with the raw truth in her words.

Throughout her life, Madhavikutty was admired for writing with courage and vulnerability. She spoke about subjects that were considered taboo, and in doing so, gave a new space to women’s voices in Indian literature. Her works explored love, betrayal, longing, spirituality, and the search for identity, themes that remain relevant even today.

In her later years, she embraced Islam and took the name Kamala Surayya. Her conversion drew attention, but her literary legacy remained unchanged. She passed away in 2009 in Pune. Her poetry and prose continue to inspire, reminding readers of the power of honesty and self-expression.