Veteran Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair dies at 91

"M T has died," a hospital source told PTI without elaborating. He had been under the care of a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including cardiologists and critical care experts, since his hospitalisation last week. Popularly known as M T, he authored nine novels, 19 collections of short stories, directed six films, wrote around 54 screenplays, and published several collections of essays and memoirs over a career spanning seven decades.

His novel Naalukettu (The Ancestral House) solidified his place as a literary icon and is considered a classic in Malayalam literature. He also penned several acclaimed works, including Asuravithu, Manju, and Kaalam.

MT's literary achievements earned him the Jnanpith Award in 1995, India's highest literary honour, as well as numerous other accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Ezhuthachan Award, Mathrubhumi Literary Award, and O N V Literary Award. In 2005, M T was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour.