Noted novelist and Sahitya Akademi awardee Thoppil Mohamed Meeran, 74, died at his residence at Veerabahu Nagar in Pettai near here at around 1.30 a.m. on Friday.
He is survived by his wife Jaleela and two sons Shameem Ahmed and Mirzad Ahmed.
Born in the coastal hamlet of Thaengaaipattinam in Kanniyakumari district on September 26, 1944, Mohamed Meeran authored the novels Oru Kadalora Graamaththin Kathai , Thuraimugam , Koonan Thoppu , Saaivu Naarkkaali and Anju Vannam Theru between 1988 and 2011. Of these, Saaivu Naarkkaali ( The Reclining Chair ), released in 1995, bagged him the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1997.
His short story collections — Anbukku Muthumai Illai , Thangarasu , Ananthasayanam Colony , Oru Kutti Theevin Varippadam , Thoppil Mohamed Meeran Kathaigal and Oru Maamaramum Konjam Paravaigalum — and translations gave him a prominent place in the literary world.
In recognition, he received 8 awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award and Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumantram Award in 1992.
“His mastery over both Tamil and Malayalam was amazing as he could use both the languages in his novels effortlessly. The speciality of all his literary works is that his novels lucidly narrated the fisherfolk’s life with finer and intricate details in Tamil laced with Malayalam, the slang found only in Kanniyakumari district,” Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko said in his condolence message.
After public and people from various walks of life paid their last respects to the celebrated novelist, last rites will be performed on Friday evening at Pettai.
