Iyyamcode Sreedharan

Sreedharan was born on 4 September 1941, in Puthiya veettil House in Iyyamcode near Nadapuram in present-day Kozhikode district of Kerala.[1][2] His father M. Narayana Kurup was a teacher, poet, painter and sculptor.[3] His mother, M. P. Karthayani Amma, is the sister of M. P. Narayanan Nambiar, a prominent leader of the Karshaka Sangham, a long-time farmers' movement in Kerala.[2] He had his primary education at Nadapuram C.C. UP School.[4] After passing tenth class from Kadathanad Rajas High School in Kozhikode District, he studied Kathakali chamayam (makeup of Kathakali artists) for three years at the Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthy.[5] In 1961, he joined Kollankode Rajas High School in Palakkad district as a teacher in Kathakali chamayam and later became a descendant of poet P. Kunhiraman Nair, who was a colleague there.[5]

Sreedharan started writing poems at the age of fifteen. In 1962, he won the first prize in the Mathrubhumi Weekly poetry competition for students.[2] Subsequently, in 1964, he was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Samithi Poetry Award.[2] He brought together theatre artists from Kollengode and the surrounding areas, and formed a theater troupe in 1975 and performed plays all over Kerala.[1]

He was instrumental in establishing the P. Smaraka Kalakendram (P. Memorial Art Center) at Kollengode in In 1981, in memory of the poet P. Kunhiraman Nair. Iyyamcode has been the secretary of the art centre for the last forty years. In 1988, when he was the secretary of the Kerala Kalamandalam, he formed a Kathakali group named Kerala Kalabhavan and wrote three aattakkathas including 'Kinglier', and performed in many stages including in foreign countries.[5][2]

Iyankode Sreedharan, who has been one of the directors of the Kerala Institute of Children's Literature held several other positions including member of the Kerala Sahitya Samithi and the Vice President of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.[6] He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi for seven years and was the state secretary of the Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangh, a group of progressive literary activists.[2] He represented India in World Ramayana Festival.[1]

• Surendran, V. U. (2018). Iyyankodinte lokam (in Malayalam). Seed Books. ISBN 9788193697962.
• P, Kunhiraman Nair (2009). Hridayam Thurakkunna Thakkolukal (First ed.). Tiruvanthapuram: Melinda Books. ISBN 9788188420681. Letters of Mahakavi P. Kunjiraman Nair to Iyyancode Sreedharan
• Kalppadukal part 2 titled as Puram, S. K. Vasanthan's memoirs of friendships and cordial interactions with notable personalities including Sreedharan[7]

• Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions 2016.[8]
• Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award 2008 for his travelogue King Lierinte Europyan Sanchara Padangal[9]
• Kerala Kalamandalam M. K. K. Nair Award for outstanding contribution in the field of literature.[10]
• Kerala Kalamandalam 'Mukundaraja Award' for his contributions to Kathakali.[2]
• Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award 1997- for poetry collection Sanghaganam.[2]
• Arts Service International Book Development Committee Award Paris- for his Aattakkatha King Lear[2]
• UNESCO Member International Book Committee Award- for his biography Swapnadanam.[2]
• First literary award instituted by the Professor P. Meerakutty Foundation for his autobiography Swapnadanam.[11]
• First Kaliyachan Award instituted by Cheruthuruthy Kathakali School in memory of P. Kunhiraman Nair.[12]
• K. P. Kesava Menon Award[5]
• First prize in the Mathrubhumi Weekly poetry competition for students, 1962
• Kerala Sahitya Samithi Poetry Award 1964