Cherukad

CHERUKAD:

Cherukad Govinda Pisharodi (August 26, 1914 - October 28, 1976), commonly known as Cherukad, was a Malayalam-language playwright, novelist, poet and political activist, associated with the Communist movement in Kerala.

 

Cherukad was born in Chemmalasseri(Pulamanthol) in Valluvanad  taluk to Kizheettil Pisharath Karunakara Pisharody and Cherukad Pisharath Narayani Pisharasiar. He got elementary training in Sanskrit from Guru Gopalanezhuthssan. After completing high school education, he joined as a teacher in Chemmalassery Aided Mappila School. He passed Vidvan Examination from Madras and worked in many schools as teacher before joining Pattambi Sanskrit College as Lecturer.

Cherukad's politically charged writing was influential in defining the Malayalam literature of the fifties and sixties. His political life was connected with the lives of the leading politicians and patriots of Kerala. Cherukad was one of the founder members of the Deshabhimani Study Circle, a progressive literary movement in Kerala and the predecessor of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham. Some of his important works are Jeevithappatha,Tharavaditham, Manushyabandhangal, Namal Onnu, Manushya Hridayangal, Janmabhumi, Devalokam, Manninte Maril (On the Bosom of the Soil),Muthassi and Sanidasa. His autobiography Jeevithappatha(1974) received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1975 and Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977.

In 1936 Cherukad married Kizheettil Pisharath Lakshmi Pisharasiar. Their Children: KP. Raveendran(Kendriya Vidyalaya), KP Ramanan(Pulamanthol Govt High School),  K. P. Mohanan (noted writer, Mahatma Gandhi College, Mahi), CP Madhanan(Agriculture Dept), CP Chitra, CP Chthrabhanu(Pattambi Sanskrit College). 

Cherukad died on 28 October 1976. The Cherukad Award is an annually given literary award instituted in his memory.

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