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{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Rao Bahadur]]
| name = O. Chandu Menon
| image = Chandu Menon.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = 9 January 1847
| birth_place = Kelaloor, [[Cannanore]], [[Malabar District]], [[British India]]<br>(now [[Kannur]], [[Kerala]], India)
| death_date = 7 September 1899
| death_place = [[Tellicherry]], Cannanore
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername = Oyyarath Chandu Menon
| occupation = Writer, novelist, social reformer
| yearsactive =
| spouse = Lakshmikutty Amma
| domesticpartner =
| children =
| parents = Chandu Nair Edappadi,<br>Parvathy Amma Chittezhath
| influences =
| influenced =
| website =
| awards = [[Rao Bahadur]]
}}
'''Oyyarathu Chandu Menon''' (popularly known as '''O. Chandu Menon''') (1847–1899) was a [[Malayalam language]] novelist. He is the author of ''[[Indulekha (novel)|Indulekha]]'', the first major novel in Malayalam published in 1889.

==Life==
Chandu Menon was born on 9 January 1847 in Oyyarath house near [[Naduvannur]] in the present day Kozhikode District.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/OChanduMenon/Html/OCMenongraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-04-23 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> His family moved to Thalassery when he was an infant.

Chandu Menon got his first lessons from Koran Gurukkal, one of his neighbors. He learnt Sanskrit poetry, drama and grammar from Pandit Kunjanbu Nambiar. About the same time, he received English lessons from a local school and later from K. Kunjan Menon. He had higher school education in the [[Basel Evangelical Mission Parsi High School]] in [[Thalassery]]. While studying there he is reported to have qualified for the uncovenanted Civil Service by securing a high rank in the test for that Service. In 1857, his 52 year old father died due to diabetes. In 1864 his mother died when he was in the [[matriculation]] class and he was forced to abandon studies.<ref name=prezi>[http://prezi.com/ilfhd6o8bju1/the-life-of-oyyarathu-chandu-menon/ Biography]</ref>

Chandu Menon married Lakshmikutty Amma in 1872. The couple had six children.

Chandu Menon started his career as a clerk in the government service. [[William Logan (Malabar Manual)|William Logan]], author of the [[William Logan (Malabar Manual)|Malabar Manual]] appointed him as a clerk at Sub-Collector's office. After working in various offices in [[Malabar region|Malabar]], he slowly rose to the position of a ''Munsiff'', and in 1892 became the sub-judge of [[Kozhikode|Calicut]]. As per a record available, he was also District judge of Mangalore in 1895.
<ref name=prezi/> Chandu Menon reportedly assisted Willam Logan in the preparation of Malabar Manual.<ref name=genealogy>[http://www.geni.com/people/Chandu-Menon/6000000021314380330 Genealogy]</ref>

Chandu Menon was also a social reformer. He was a member of the committee constituted to inquire on [[Marumakkathayam]] and report on the Malabar Marriages Bill. His observations on matrimony among Nairs that prevailed during the time are of historical importance.<ref name=genealogy/> He was given the title of [[Rao Bahadur]] in 1898 for excellent service.
Chandu Menon died on 7 September 1899 at his ''Oyyarath'' residence in [[Thalassery]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sreekeshu.xp3.biz/Thalassery%20Online/pride%20of%20tly.html |title=Important Personalities |publisher=Sreekeshu.xp3.biz |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref> due to cardiac failure.

==Literary career==
He was inspired by his wife to write his first novel ''[[Indulekha (novel)|Indulekha]]''. He attempted to fashion the work after the English novels popular during those days<ref name="dailynews">{{Cite web |url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2012/07/04/fea24.asp |title=Daily News Online Edition - Sri lanka :: Print Page |date=2012-07-04 |publisher=Archives.dailynews.lk |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref> and depicted the love and life of an upper-caste woman and her destiny. The novel attempted to discuss the topics of feudalism, polygamy and caste oppression.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/br/2004/09/07/stories/2004090700011403.htm |title=Voice of rebellion |work=The Hindu |date=2004-09-07 |access-date=2016-12-01}}</ref>

His 1889 work, ''[[Indulekha (novel)|Indulekha]]'', was the first Malayalam fictional work which met with all the requisite characteristics of a novel according to widely accepted Malayalam literary convention.<ref name="Chandu Menon - Indian author">{{Cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chandu-Menon |title=Chandu Menon - Indian author |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en |access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> It is not the first novel per se, as ''[[Kundalatha]]'' (a much inferior work) by [[Appu Nedungadi]] pre-dates it by two years. ''Indulekha'' throws light on the [[Nair]] community during the second half of the nineteenth century when it was undergoing a transformation following western influences and English education. It exalts education and satirizes the orthodox practices of marital alliances between Nair women and [[Namboodiri]] men. ''Indulekha'' was translated into English 1891 by the-then [[District collector|Collector]] of [[Malabar district]]. Indulekha is claimed to be the only Malayalam novel to be reprinted every year for over hundred years.<ref name="dailynews" />

He began a second novel named ''[[Sarada (novel)|Sarada]]'', the first part of which appeared in 1892. This novel was meant to be in two parts. However, he was unable to complete the sequel, which never got published.

Two English speeches made by Chandu Menon, one on ''Administration of Justice in Ancient Times'' and another under the auspices of the Sir T. Muthuswamy Iyer Memorial Committee have been published in book form.<ref name=genealogy/>

==Major awards and recognitions==
* He reportedly received a letter from the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]], [[W. E. Gladstone]], passing on [[Queen Victoria]]'s appreciation of Chandu Menon's services to Malayalam literature in 1892.<ref name=genealogy/>
* The Government of India conferred on him the title of [[Rao Bahadur]] in 1897.
* [[Madras University]] recognised his merits, appointed him as Examiner for the Law Degrees in 1898.
* He was also honoured by [[Madras University]] by nominating him as a Fellow of the University.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://nitum.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/o-chandu-menon-of-biography/ Write up]
* [http://ebookbrowsee.net/00000085-rtf-d266656211 List of Books]
* [http://www.betterworldbooks.com/indulekha-id-9780195669336.aspx Indulekha – English Translation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235056/http://tera-3.ul.cs.cmu.edu/NASD/4a7f1db4-5792-415c-be79-266f41eef20a/upgrade-archive-06-14-2007/data/upload-allbooks/disk%203/Jan%20N/ENGLISH/Chandu_%20Menon/HTML/00000011.htm Biographical Sketch]
* [http://wikimapia.org/656824/Oyyarath-House-O-Chandu-Menon-s-house Oyyarath house on Wikimapia]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023603/http://tera-3.ul.cs.cmu.edu/NASD/4a7f1db4-5792-415c-be79-266f41eef20a/upgrade-archive-06-14-2007/data/upload-allbooks/disk%203/Jan%20N/ENGLISH/Chandu_%20Menon/HTML/00000018.htm Report of an incident]

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chandumenon, Oyyarathu}}
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Malayalam novelists]]
[[Category:1847 births]]
[[Category:1899 deaths]]
[[Category:Novelists from Kerala]]
[[Category:Writers from Kannur]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:19th-century male writers]]

Oyyarathu Chandu Menon - Revision history

>Citation bot: Add: work. Removed parameters. Some additions/deletions were parameter name changes. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Abductive | Category:1899 deaths | via #UCB_Category 1710/1786