Renowned poet NK Desam passes away

KOCHI: Renowned poet NK Desam (87) passed away on Sunday at 10.30 pm. The cremation will take place today at 3 pm at his house in Kothakulangara in Angamali. N Kuttykrishna Pillai popularly known as NK Desam is the son of late Narayana Pillai and Ammu Kuttiyamma of Konginiparambu in Desam. He was born on 31 October 1936 in Aluva Desam. He was an employee of LIC. Wife: Leelavathi Amma, of Ambattu Sarovaram family in Kothakulangara.

Desam started his writing career at the age of 12 and published his first collection in 1973.

The major works are Kanyahridayam, Appupanthaadi, Chottayile Sheelam, Pavizhamalli, Ullekham, Anpathiyonnaksharali etc.
Desam received the first Edasseri Award in 1982 for 'Ullekham'. NK Desham received the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for his translation of Tagore's Gitanjali, his Mudra bagged the Odakuzhal Award in 2007 and the Kerala Sahitya Akadami Award in 2009. He also received awards like Edassery, Sahodaran Ayyappan, and Aashan Memorial. 'Desika', an anthology of NK Desam's poems, also won the first poetry prize instituted in memory of KT Krishna Warrier.

Children: K. Biju (Civil Supplies, Ernakulam) K. Balu (Munsiff Court, Ernakulam) and Aparna K Pillai. In-laws: G Preetha, Geethalakshmi (Saraswathi Vidyalaya, Chengamanad), Babu (Dubai).