{{Short description|Indian satirical poet}} {{more citations needed|date=August 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox writer | name = Chemmanam Chacko | image = Chemmanam Chacko DS.jpg | imagesize = | caption = | pseudonym = Chemmanam | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1926|3|7}} | birth_place = Mulakulam, Travancore | death_date = {{death date and age|2018|8|14|1926|3|7|df=y}} | death_place = Kochi, Kerala, India | occupation = Poet, social worker | nationality = Indian | period = | genre = | subject = | movement = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Chemmanam Chacko''' (7 March 1926 – 14 August 2018) was an Indian satirical poet from Kerala, India. He died on 15 August 2018 at the age of 92 at his residence in Padamugal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/chemmanam-chacko-dead/article24694006.ece|title=Chemmanam Chacko dead|last=Bureau|first=Kochi|date=2018-08-14|work=The Hindu|access-date=14 August 2018|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
== Early life == Chacko was born on 7 March 1926, in the village of Mulakulam in erstwhile Travancore. Chemmanam is his family name. His father was an Orthodox Christian priest. He did his early schooling in Saint Joseph's school, Piravom, and went on to receive his BA honours in Malayalam literature with first rank from University College, Trivandrum. He worked as a professor at Mar Ivanios College and the Department of Malayalam, University of Kerala.
== Poetry ==
Chacko's first published poem was 'Munnottu' (Forward) which appeared in a local weekly in 1946. The poem 'Kanakaaksharangal' published in 1967 brought him popularity. Chemmanam is famed for efficiently utilising satire in his poems as a means of social and political critique.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/09/stories/2010040953910400.htm| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414122108/http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/09/stories/2010040953910400.htm| url-status=dead| archive-date=14 April 2010| title=A war of verse | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu| date=9 April 2010}}</ref> His poetic style has often drawn comparison to the early Malayalam language poet Kunjan Nambiar. His 1977 poetry collection ''Rajapatha'' won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. He was conferred with the lifetime achievement award for literature by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi in 2006. He received the Mahakavi Pandalam Keralavarma Award for Poetry in 2014 and Asan Prize in 2015.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/15/stories/2006031503760200.htm| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907155144/http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/15/stories/2006031503760200.htm| url-status=dead| archive-date=7 September 2006| title=Honour for a poet's lifetime work | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu| date=15 March 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chemmanam Chacko bags Asan Memorial Award |url=http://www.kaumudi.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=74461 |access-date=17 February 2023 |work=Kerala Kaumudi |date=3 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103094448/http://www.kaumudi.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=74461 |archive-date=3 January 2017}}</ref>
===List of poems===
*''Vilamparam'' (Proclamation) (1947) *''Kanakaaksharangal'' (Golden Letters) (1967) *''Nellu'' (Rice) (1968) *''Innu'' (Today) (1969) *''Puthari'' (Fresh Rice) (1970) *''Asthram'' (Arrow) (1971) *''Agneyaasthram'' (Fire-arrow) (1972) *''Dukkhanthinte Chiri'' (Laughter of sorrow) (1973) *''Aavanazhi'' (Quiver) (1974) *''Jaithrayaathra'' (Victory Parade) (1975) *''Rajapaatha'' (Royal Path) (1976) *''Daahajalam'' (Water for Thirst) (1981) *''Bhoomikulukkam'' (Earthquake) (1983) *''Ampum Villum'' (Bow and Arrow) (1986) *''Raajavinu Vasthramilla'' (King is naked) (1989) *''Aalilla Kaserakal'' (Empty Chairs) (1991) *''Chinteru'' (Plane - as in tool for timber work) (1995) *''Narma Sankadam'' (Light Sadness) (1997) *''Onnu Onnu Randaayiram'' (1–1–2000) (2000) *''Ottayaal Pattaalam'' (One-man Army) (2003) *''Ottayaante Choonduviral'' (Pointing finger of a lone Elephant) (2007) *''Akshara Poraattam'' (War of Words) (2009) *''Akshara Poraali'' (Warrior of words) (2010)
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Chemmanam Chacko}} *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJMk8iRYW4g Part 1], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2OU4E5JNak Part 2] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiDeFFhESVI Part 3] of the interview with Chemmanam Chacko by ''Mathrubhumi'' * [http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/browse-books.cgi Malayalam authors] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811171042/http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/browse-books.cgi |date=11 August 2018 }} * [http://indulekha.biz/index.php?route=product/author/product&author_id=943 Collection of poems and essays by Chemmanam Chacko] * [http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/ignore-malayalam-at-societys-peril-says-poet/article2655175.ece Speech by Chemmanam]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chacko, Chemmanam}} Category:1926 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Writers from Kottayam Category:Indian male poets Category:Indian satirists Category:Indian satirical poets Category:Indian political artists Category:20th-century Indian poets Category:Malayalam poets Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Category:Poets from Kerala Category:20th-century Indian male writers Category:Academic staff of the University of Kerala