Chemmanam Chacko

Chemmanam Chacko
Chemmanam Chacko
Born	7 March 1926; Mulakulam, Travancore
Died	15 August 2018 (aged 92); Kochi, Kerala, India
Pen name	Chemmanam
Occupation	Poet, social worker
Nationality	Indian

Chemmanam Chacko (March 7, 1926 – August 14, 2018) was an Indian satirical poet from Kerala, India. He died on 15 August 2018 at the age of 92 at his residence in Padamugal.^[1]

Early life[edit]

Chacko was born on 7 March 1926, in the village of Mulakulam in erstwhile Travancore. His father was an Orthodox Christian priest. He did his early schooling in Saint Joseph's school, Piravom, and went on to receive his BA honours in Malayalam literature with first rank from University College, Trivandrum. He worked as a professor at Mar Ivanios College and the Department of Malayalam, University of Kerala.

Poetry[edit]

Chacko's first published poem was 'Munnottu' (Forward) which appeared in a local weekly in 1946. The poem 'Kanakaaksharangal' published in 1967 brought him popularity. Chemmanam is famed for efficiently utilising satire in his poems as a means of social and political critique.^[2] His poetic style has often drawn comparison to the early Malayalam language poet Kunjan Nambiar. His 1977 poetry collection Rajapatha won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. He was conferred with the lifetime achievement award for literature by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi in 2006. He received the Mahakavi Pandalam Keralavarma Award for Poetry in 2014.^[3]

List of poems[edit]

Vilamparam (Proclamation) (1947)
Kanakaaksharangal (Golden Letters) (1967)
Nellu (Rice) (1968)
Innu (Today) (1969)
Puthari (Fresh Rice) (1970)
Asthram (Arrow) (1971)
Agneyaasthram (Fire-arrow) (1972)
Dukkhanthinte Chiri (Laughter of sorrow) (1973)
Aavanazhi (Quiver) (1974)
Jaithrayaathra (Victory Parade) (1975)
Rajapaatha (Royal Path) (1976)
Daahajalam (Water for Thirst) (1981)
Bhoomikulukkam (Earthquake) (1983)
Ampum Villum (Bow and Arrow) (1986)
Raajavinu Vasthramilla (King is naked) (1989)
Aalilla Kaserakal (Empty Chairs) (1991)
Chinteru (Plane - as in tool for timber work) (1995)
Narma Sankadam (Light Sadness) (1997)
Onnu Onnu Randaayiram (1-1-2000) (2000)
Ottayaal Pattaalam (One-man Army) (2003)
Ottayaante Choonduviral (Pointing finger of a lone Elephant) (2007)
Akshara Poraattam (War of Words) (2009)
Akshara Poraali (Warrior of words) (2010)

References[edit]

https://web.archive.org/web/20170103094448/http://www.kaumudi.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=74461

↑ Bureau, Kochi (15 August 2018). "Chemmanam Chacko dead". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
↑ "A war of verse". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 9 April 2010. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010.
↑ "Honour for a poet's lifetime work". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 15 March 2006. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006.

External links[edit]

Malayalam authors Archived 11 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine
Collection of poems and essays by Chemmanam Chacko
Speech by Chemmanam

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[1] Bureau, Kochi (15 August 2018). "Chemmanam Chacko dead". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 August 2018.

[2] "A war of verse". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 9 April 2010. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010.

[3] "Honour for a poet's lifetime work". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 15 March 2006. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006.

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