Health condition of Jnanpith awardee Vasudevan Nair remains critical

Thiruvananthapuram (The Uttam Hindu): The health condition of renowned Malayalam writer and Jnanpith awardee M. T. Vasudevan Nair, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode, remains critical. According to hospital sources, while Nair is responding to medication to some extent, his condition remains serious. He is being treated in the emergency ward of Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikode for cardiac issues.

The hospital authorities noted a slight improvement in his health, with Nair showing limited response to treatment. However, a medical bulletin issued by the hospital emphasised that his condition is still critical.

Several prominent personalities continue to visit the hospital to enquire about the health of the hugely admired literary personality.

Nair, also a Padma Bhushan awardee, is considered an icon of Malayalam literature and cinema.

He has won four National Film Awards for screenplay writing and has directed seven films while scripting about 54 others.

His screenplays, now available in book form, are regarded as essential reading for aspiring filmmakers.

Over the years, Nair has received numerous prestigious 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 2013, he was honoured with the J.C. Daniel Award for lifetime achievement in Malayalam cinema. In 2022, he received the inaugural Kerala Jyothi Award, the highest civilian honour bestowed by the Kerala Government.

In 1995, Nair was awarded the Jnanpith, India's highest literary honour, for his outstanding contributions to literature.

He also served as the editor of Mathrubhumi Weekly for several years.

In October this year, Nair made headlines after gold ornaments were stolen from his residence while he and his wife were away. The police later recovered the items, implicating a domestic helper in the theft.