Beloved Sanu Mash of Malayalis becomes memory; body cremated with official honours at Kochi

KOCHI: Farewell to Prof. M.K. Sanu, who became a mentor to generations in the literary and cultural field of Kerala. His body was cremated with official honours at 4:30 pm at the Ravipuram crematorium in Panampilly Nagar. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others reached the Kochi Town Hall to pay their last respects. CPM State Secretary M.V. Govindan, Law Minister P. Rajeev, CPM General Secretary M.A. Baby and others attended the funeral. A large crowd, including Sanu Mash's students, relatives and locals, had come to pay their respects.

Sanu Mash passed away at 5.35 pm yesterday at Amrita Hospital, Ernakulam. He was 97 years old. He had been undergoing treatment since July 25. He had undergone surgery after fracturing his right femur in a fall at home. Later, he developed shortness of breath. He continued to be in the ICU due to an irregular heartbeat.
M.K. Sanu, who gained fame as a teacher, legislator, critic, biographer and thinker, lived his life based on the philosophy of Sree Narayana Guru. His last book was a biography titled 'Tapaswini Amma: The Noblewoman Who Sheltered the Helpless', which was released by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on June 21. He was working on a biography of Swami Ananda Tirtha.

After completing his M.A. in Malayalam from University College, Thiruvananthapuram, M.K. Sanu became a teacher at Sree Narayana College, Kollam in 1955 and at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam in 1956. He has served at Brennan College, Thalassery and Nattakam Government College. He was a teacher at Maharaja's until he retired from service in 1983.

M.K. Sanu represented Ernakulam in the 8th Kerala Legislative Assembly. He has received about 100 awards including Central and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards, Ashan Award, Vayalar Award, P. Kesavadev Award, Ezhuthachan Award.

He represented Ernakulam in the 8th Kerala Legislative Assembly. He has received about 100 awards including Central and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards, Ashan Award, Vayalar Award, P. Kesavadev Award, Ezhuthachan Award.

M.K. Sanu was born on 27 October 1928 in Thumboli, Alappuzha as the only son of Mangalat M.C. Kesavan and K.P. Bhavani. Wife: Late Ratnamma (daughter of former minister Vaikom Madhavan). Children: M.S. Ranjith (Retd. Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer, Cochin Port), M.S. Rekha, Dr. M.S. Geetha (Former Head of Hindi Department, St. Paul's College, Kalamassery), M.S. Seetha (Employee of the Women and Child Development Department), M.S. Harris (Engineer, Dubai).
In-laws: C.V. Maya, C.K. Krishnan (Retd. Hindalco Industries Limited), P.V. Jyothi (Former Secretary, Kochi Corporation, GCDA), Dr. Prashant Kumar (Former Head of English Department, Kalady Sree Sankara University), Mini (Dubai).