MT Vasudevan Nair unhappy with removal of foreword in P Kunhiraman Nair's biography

KOZHIKODE: Jnanpith laureate M.T. Vasudevan Nair protested in public against the removal of his foreword to Kaviyude Kalpadukal (Footprints of a Poet), the autobiography of P. Kunhiraman Nair, from its latest edition. He was addressing the gathering after receiving the ‘Kaliyachan Award’ instituted by Mahakavi P Foundation, here. Addressing the gathering, ‘MT’ said that he had written the foreword after the poet himself came to his home demanding it.

An emotionally charged ‘MT’, while delivering the speech, turned to P. Ravindran Nair, son of P. Kunhiraman Nair who was present at the venue, saying “the foreword represents an era and his friendship with the poet”. “Removal of the foreword amounts to harassing the late poet himself”, he added. In his reply Mr Raveendran said that he would rectify the fault in the next edition. “If I would be alive by the time the next edition comes out, the autobiography would be published with the foreword of MT,” he added. Literary critic Dr M.M. Basheer, writer Subhash Chandran and K.A. Muralidharan vice-chairman of the foundation were also present.