Writer Mohammed Meeran passes away

He was 74 and is survived by his wife Jaleela and two sons. Family sources said the Tamil novelist was unwell for the past few months.

Hailing from Thenga Pattanam village in Kanniyakumari district, Meeran was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel “Saivu Narkali” (the Reclining Chair) in 1997. He had also received Tamil Nadu Kalai Ilakkiya Perumandram Award and Ilakkiya Chinthanai Award for his various works. He published five novels, six short story collections and several translations of Malayalam writers. His debut novel titled ‘Oru Kadalora Kiramathin Kathai’ (the story of sea side village) released in 1988 gave him recognition.

His creative writing has been recognised by men of letters, both from within an outside the region.

Tamil writers knew him as a fiction writer, whose creative pieces came from a particular background surrounding the Muslim culture.

A native speaker of Tamil and Malayalam, Meeran translated the biography of Indian independence activist and Malayalam writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.

Several Tamil writers condoled his demise. Politicians across the state also condoled the death of Tamil novelist Meeran.

DMK president MK Stalin, in his tweet, said, “Sahitya Akademi awardee Thoppil Mohamed Meeran had given many special works for modern Tamil literature and his death is a great loss to the literary world.”

MDMK leader, Vaiko, said, “Novels of Meeran reflected the life of ordinary people in their own slang. He mastered both Tamil and Malayalam and his death is a great loss to the literary society.”

CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, said, “Thoppil Mohamed Meeran’s work ‘Saivu Narkali’ (Reclining Chair), which won Sahitya Akademi award in 1997, is a sharp political piece. His works reflected the class differences in Islamic community and criticised them.”

VCK president, Thol Thirumavalavan, said, “His works written in Kanniyakumari slang tied-up the entire Tamil community. His works criticised the superstitious beliefs and regressive thoughts in the society.”

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi tweeted that the demise of Meeran was a great loss to the Tamil literary community.