About the Quiz: Born on September 12, 1930, Dr. K. Ayyappa Paniker, is a towering presence in the intellectual as well as aesthetic life of Keralites. A pioneer of modernism in Kerala, he was a renowned poet, critic and academic. His seminal work Kumkshethram (1960) is considered a turning point in Malayalam poetry. Similarly, Ayyappapanikkarude Krithikal was an important influence on the playwrights of his generation.
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In an academic career spanning four decades which went hand in hand with a literary one, Dr. Paniker taught in various colleges and universities before retiring as the Director, Institute of English, University of Kerala. He was also the recipient of a number of honours including the Padma Shri, Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for poetry and criticism, Kendriya Sahitya Akademi Award for poetry, Saraswati Samman for his collection of writings Ayyappa Panikerude Krithikal, etc. After a life spent in the service of the muse, Dr. Paniker passed away on 23 August 2006.
The PG Department of English, N.S.S. College, Pandalam, has been conducting an intercollegiate literary quiz in memory of the literary giant for the past twelve years. The aim of the quiz is to encourage students to develop an enduring love for literature and also to preserve the memory of one of the greatest bilingual writers from Kerala.
