Kozhikode: K Satchidanandan, who is credited to have taken Malayalam poetry to the international stage, has won this year’s Mathrubhumi Literary Award. The award includes Rs 3 lakh and a citation. Mathrubhumi Managing Director MV Shreyams Kumar and Managing Editor PV Chandran informed Satchidanandan's selection for this year’s award. The jury consisted of writer Zacharia as the chairman and novelist Sara Joseph and writer Santhosh Echikkanam as the members.

The jury committee evaluated that Satchidanandan is a poet who has constantly renovated Malayalam language and imagination through his long career as a writer. Satchidanandan has also brought world poetry closer to Malayalam through his translations. He has created a space for himself in prose, literary criticism and academics and made the various branches of Indian poetry familiar to Keralites. He was also prepared to react to some of the biggest problems of age through his poetry.

K Satchidanandan was born in 1946 in Thrissur district. He has served as an English teacher in Christ college, Editor of Indian Literature, Kendra Sahitya Academy secretary, Professor and Director at the Department of Translation in IGNOU.

‘Thadhagatham’, ‘Nilkkunna Manushyan’, Dukham enna veedu’, ‘Samudrangalekkurich mathramalla’ are some of his important works.

Satchidanandan’s poems have been translated to many languages including Arabic, French, Italian, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, German, Hindi and Bengali. He has won the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award 5 times. He is also the recipient of Kendra Sahitya Academy Award, Vayalar Award, Gangadhar Meher National Award, NTR National Award, Ezhuthachan Award and Ulloor Award among others.

Satchidanandan was bestowed with Knighthood of the Order of Merit from Italy and India - Poland Friendship Medal from Poland. 

His family includes wife Thulasidevi and children Saritha and Sabitha.