Tribute to Kadammanitta

One need not be a strong fan of Malayalam poetry to understand Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan. If one has listened to Kadammanitta reciting one of his poems or has read any of his poems, that person is sure to remember Kadammanitta for the rest of his life for such is the power of his words. In the midst of a lot of writers who remain in their own world, Kadammanitta has always walked a path less trodden. He has always drawn themes for his poems for the lives of the under privileged and has always worked with them closely for their uplift and improved living conditions. He has had a successful stint with politics and even in his capacity as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, he has fulfilled his responsibilities very well. A strong supporter of Communism, he has lived the life of a true blue communist all along. Kadammanitta could always gather a decent audience at all his public appearances thanks to his strong oratorical skills and unabashed criticism of whatever went against his ideologies. He belonged to that rare breed of writers who practiced everything that he preached. Kadammanitta’s death is a big blow to the cultural and political milieu of Kerala and he is truly irreplaceable. Thanks to his magnificent personality, Kadammanitta will continue to live in the hearts of Keralites for a very long period to come.