Iyyamcode Sreedharan

Iyyamcode Sreedharan (also spelled as Iyyamkode or Iyyamkodu) is a Malayalam language writer from Kerala, India. He is well known in various fields of literature such as travelogue writer, Aattakkatha writer, playwright, poet and biographer. He received several awards including Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Overall Contributions, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for travelogue, Kerala Kalamandalam Mukundaraja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award for outstanding contribution in the field of literature.

Biography
Sreedharan was born on 4 September 1941, in Puthiya veettil House in Iyyamcode near Nadapuram in present-day Kozhikode district of Kerala. His father M. Narayana Kurup was a teacher, poet, painter and sculptor. 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. He had his primary education at Nadapuram C.C. UP School. 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. 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.

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

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.

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. 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. He represented India in World Ramayana Festival.

Personal life
He and his wife Komalavalli have 3 children. His daughter S. K. Kavitha is a Malayalam language poet. They lives in their house 'Sakalya' in Vattekatte near Kollengode in Palakkad district.

Poetry collection

 * Mulakinkodi
 * Njattu Paattu
 * Perumbara
 * Jaya He
 * Sakshi Mozhi
 * Patiyirangunna Daivam
 * Sangha Ganam
 * Njan Itha Padunnu Veendum

Short story collection

 * Thalam Thettiya Kalaasangal
 * Thalam Thettiya Kalaasangal

Novels

 * Vadamallika
 * Appunni
 * Vadamallika
 * Appunni
 * Appunni

Memoirs

 * Memoirs about V. K. N.
 * Varna Renukkal
 * Mayil Peelikal
 * Ormayile Mandasmeram
 * Ornmayile Madhuryam
 * Mayil Peelikal
 * Ormayile Mandasmeram
 * Ornmayile Madhuryam

Essays and studies

 * Kochukochu Varthamanangal
 * Snehadarasamanwitham
 * Kochukochu Varthamanangal
 * Snehadarasamanwitham

Dance Dramas

 * Malanadu
 * Kavikal Paadiya Keralam

Biographies

 * Biography of Changampuzha Krishna Pillai
 * Biography of Vallathol Narayana Menon
 * Biography of P. Kunhiraman Nair
 * Biography of Kunchan Nambiar
 * Based on life of Sukumar Azhikode
 * Based on life of Cherukad
 * Swapnadanam. based on life of P. Kunhiraman Nair

Plays

 * Ore vargam Ore margam
 * Ithile
 * Padayottam

Aattakkathas

 * Manava Vijayam
 * Sneha Sandesam
 * King lier, adaptation of William Shakespeare's play King Lear

Travelogues

 * King Lierinte Europyan Sanchara Padangal
 * In this book, Ramayana from fourteen countries of the world including Uzbekistan, Philippines and Vietnam are mentioned.
 * Spain Oru Ottapradakshinam

Books on him

 * 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
 * Kalppadukal part 2 titled as Puram, S. K. Vasanthan's memoirs of friendships and cordial interactions with notable personalities including Sreedharan

Awards and honors

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