Legendary writer MT Vasudevan Nair, who was considered the doyen of Malayalam language literature, has died at the age of 91. Nair, who belonged to the south indian state of Kerala, died in a hospital in the state's Kozhikode district, where he was admitted a few days ago with breathing difficulties.

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Apart from being a celebrated writer, Nair was also an acclaimed film director and screenwriter. He was popularly known at MT. 

PM Modi pays tribute to MT Vasudevan Nair

Indian Prime Minister PM Modi led many others in paying rich tribute to the celebrated writer. 

PM Modi took to X and wrote, "Saddened by the passing away of Shri MT Vasudevan Nair Ji, one of the most respected figures in Malayalam cinema and literature. His works, with their profound exploration of human emotions, have shaped generations and will continue to inspire many more. He also gave voice to the silent and marginalised. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti."

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Congress leader Shashi Tharoor wrote, "Sadly, it was not to be. The tragic news has sunk Kerala in mourning. A legend has passed into history, leaving behind an immortal legacy in the worlds of fiction and commentary, film & screenplay. #MTVasudevanNair, gone at 91."

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About MT Vasudevan Nair


Born in 1933 in Kerala's Palakkad district, Nair was a voracious reader and began writing at a young age and even had his work published in magazines. 

"Unlike other boys of my age I was not very interested in playing. There was only one game I could play alone - writing," he once told Outlook magazine.

Nair studied chemistry and taught math to school students. He later joined the renowned Mathrubhumi weekly magazine and soon made a name for himself as a writer and editor. He has several novels and collections of short stories, newspaper columns, memoirs and travelogues to his credit. Many of his works have been translated into various other Indian languages. 

Nair's novel "Naalukettu" (Four Blocks), about the decline of a joint family, won one of Kerala's highest literary honours in 1959. 

Many years later, he adapted the book into a television film for the government-run Doordarshan channel, winning a state award.

His novel "Randamoozham" (The Second Turn), a retelling of the Hindu epic "Mahabharata" from the point of view of the Bhima, is considered a classic of Indian literature.

He was honoured with India's highest literary honour, the Jnanpith Award, in 1995. 

Besides his literary work, Nair had a prolific career as a screenwriter and director in Malayalam cinema, winning several national and state awards.