Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran

Who was Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran?

Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran, CSI, also known as Kerala Varma, also spelt Kerala Varma Valiya Koilthampuran, was a Malayalam-language poet and translator who had an equal facility in writing in English and Sanskrit from the Indian state of Kerala. He was part of the royal family of erstwhile Parappanad, Malabar. Kerala Varma is also known as the Kalidasa of Kerala

Kerala Varma has been called "a colossal Renaissance figure in 19th century Kerala" and "perhaps the first of the major [Malayalam language] writers who consciously and deliberately began to absorb and celebrate the Western influence" on his native literature. He advocated resuscitation of Malayalam literature by absorbing selected Western influences combined with native Sanskritic elements in poetry, drama and prose.