Kathakali Acharyan Mathur Govindankutty dies

KOTTAYAM: Kathakali Acharyan Mathur Govindankutty died here Thursday. He was 81. He died of health complications due to COVID-19. He was admitted in the hospital by the end of last month after contracting the disease. Though he returned home, five days back he was admitted at the ICU of Kottayam Medical College Hospital after his health deteriorated. He became famous after his women characters in Kathakali and he is the son-in-law of his guru Kudmaloor Karunakaran Nair.

He was born in Mathur family, Kuttanad in 1940. He started learning Kathakali at the age of 14 under his brother Mohanakunju Panicker. He learnt the art form under Nedumudi Kuttappa Panicker, Kurissi Kunjan Panicker, Ambalapuzha Shekaran and his father-in-law Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair.

He had received Sangeetha Nataka Academy awards of the central and state governments, senior fellowship of centre, Kerala State Kathakali Award, Kerala Kalamandalm fellowship, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair awards etc. He was a member of the administration panel of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademy. His wife had predeceased him. Chenda artist Gopi Krishnan and Kathakali actor Kudamloor Murali Krishnan are his children.