Malayalam poet Vinayachandran passes away

Eminent Malayalam poet D Vinayachandran, whose poems are noted for their emotive power, died at a private hospital here today following a brief ailment. Vinayachandran, who was 67 years old, and a bachelor, was under treatment for the last few days for multiple organ ailments, family sources said. He had taught literature in various government colleges across the state and at the School of Letters at MG University in Kottayam. Vinayachandran started writing when Malayalam literature was entering the era of modernity. But his work stood out for its fusion of tradition and modernity, as a medium for powerfully conveying to the reader intense emotions and experiences that dominate the inner self. Though he treaded the modern path in choice of themes and narrative techniques, his poems are known for their folk touch and musical quality. Vinayachandran, who has several collections to his credit, won various honours, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award. Besides the literary fraternity, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and leaders of various political parties expressed profound grief at the death of Vinayachandran.