‘World has lost lit giant MT, my mentor is no more’

Damodar Mauzo

It was expected that M T Vasudevan Nair — known to the literati as MT — wouldn’t survive for long. During the Iffi 2024, when I was conferred the KR Gangadharan Award at the Raj Bhavan, Goa governor P S Sreedharan Pillai had hinted to me that MT’s condition was critical. The news of his death was nevertheless devastating.

I was introduced to MT’s world when I read him in Konkani translation. I read his famous novel ‘Naalukettu’ translated into Konkani as ‘Chowki’ by K Gokuldas Prabhu. I found the ambience in the novel familiar as Goa too has traditional houses with a four-pillared courtyard, as depicted in ‘Naalukettu’.

The trials and tribulations of Appuni soon became mine. The end part of the narrative was so intriguing that I was instantly drawn towards the author. It didn’t take long to meet him.

I first met MT in person at a five-day mega event ‘Surabhi’ held in Kochi in the mid-nineties. My impression of him was that he was an introvert. I was soon proved wrong. The next time we came together was when he inaugurated the conference of All India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan. I learned how much MT was fond of bidi. During the break, I saw him disappearing behind the curtain for a smoke.

Several encounters later, I discovered what a wonderful person and an interesting writer he was.

After the Kochi event, we met at a Katha Conference held in Delhi. He was no more an introvert to me. We discussed Malayalam and Konkani literatures in the presence of my Hindi writer friend, Ram Kumar Tiwari. MT spoke of his US travel for which he carried a carton of 500 bidis. “You give me the best cigarettes in the world, I shall still love my bidis,” he had said.

At this conference, he promised to meet me in Goa which he was due to visit a couple of months later. He kept his word.

He visited my house. We had a couple of drinks — his favourite was vodka and tonic water sprinkled with lime. On that trip, I took MT to Margao where he gave an extempore speech to a small gathering of Konkani writers. The heart-to-heart discussions that followed left a lasting impact on the audience.

He often invited me to Tirur to participate in the Thunchan Festival, a remarkable literary event in a town that is the birthplace of the legendary Thunchathu Ezhuthachan, considered the father of modern Malayalam literature.

Thunchan Memorial Trust & Research Centre has been established here with an expansive library. MT gave his time and effort to fulfil the dream project. I cannot forget the devotion with which the stylo (a kind of fountain pen), used by the saintly figure of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan is taken in a procession with hundreds of people.

Running that institute was a demanding task, particularly the financial part of it. But MT never had to beg for donations. People voluntarily came forward to help. Once when MT was travelling by air, a gentleman approached him with a cheque. Such was MT’s character.

He led a simple life and his readers adored him.

From 2003 to 2007, we were together on the executive board of Sahitya Akademi in Delhi. After the successful term, with the support of some friends, I was keen on getting MT in the saddle as the president of the Akademi. We requested him to contest.

Hesitantly, MT obliged. It was a hotly contested election. MT did not solicit support aggressively while the other contestant did. MT lost the election. It wasn’t his loss. It was a loss for the literary world. I felt agitated then. But MT was calm, as if he felt relieved.

After the declaration of the Jnanpith Award 2022 for me, I visited MT at his residence in Kozhikode. He was happy to see me. He desired to have a chat but was disappointed to see the press flocking. We had a short but intimate exchange. I invited him to Goa and he smilingly consented. The last I met him was in Thiruvananthapuram at the Mathrubhumi Litfest in 2023.

We were sharing the dais. He delivered the keynote address. Even when he was 90, he made a perfect speech. I was impressed. I again requested him to come to Goa and he reiterated his consent. But that was not to be.

I had known he was very ill. Yet the news of his death was heartbreaking — I have lost my mentor, my friend, my MT.

(The writer is Jnanpith Award winner and doyen of Konkani literature)



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