Profile

Vadakkekuttale Narayanan Kutty Nair (VKN)

Novelist and short story writer, VKN is the indomitable monarch of satirical literature in Malayalam as well as the master of an inimitable style and diction.

He was born in Thiruvilwamala in Thrissur district of Kerala on 6th April 1932. After completing matriculation, he worked at Malabar Devaswom Board for nine years. But his actual interest was in the field of journalism.

From 1959 to 1969, he worked in Delhi as a journalist. In 1955, he entered the Malayalam literary scene. He has to his credit about 25 works, which includes novels and short stories. Two novels and several other stories were translated to English and other Indian languages.

The astonishing way by which he maneuvers the language in his novels and short stories produces an entirely new meaning, gravity and humour to the topic touched. V.K.N. never hesitates to question any of the institutional set ups of power - religion, cast, ruling class, media and literature.

His historical sense aids him to blend the past and the present so finely that, though some characters from the past suddenly appears in his stories the reader never feels it to be unnatural.

Served as the Vice-president of Kerala Sahithya Academy and as the Chairman of Kunjan Nambiar Smarakam at Killikkurissimangalam.