The New Indian Express ·
The Konkani voice of Kochi, N Purushothama Mallya, no more
KOCHI: Padma Shri awardee, educationist, writer and Konkani language advocate N Purushothama Mallya, who worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the language in Kochi, died at his residence in Cherlai on Friday. He was 97.
Born in Mattancherry on May 7, 1929, Mallya was among the leading voices of Konkani literature and scholarship in Kerala. He played a key role in establishing the Konkani Bhasha Prachar Sabha in Mattancherry in 1966, the first such centre for the promotion of Konkani outside Goa.
A teacher and prolific writer, Mallya pioneered the Shataka form of poetry — 100-line poems — in Konkani literature and authored several books. His contribution went beyond creative writing. He researched the role of Konkani scholars in the making of Hortus Malabaricus, highlighting a lesser-known aspect of Kerala's intellectual and cultural history.
