Kathakali maestro Mathoor Govindan Kutty died here on Thursday following a brief illness. He was 81. He is survived by two sons, Unnikrishnan and Murali Krishnan.
Relatives said the artiste had been undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College, Kottayam, for COVID-19.
A resident of Kudamaloor, near Kottayam, he had over six-decade-long career as an artiste. He was famous for the female characters he portrayed on stage. Born in the Mathoor family in Nedumudy village, Alappuzha, he was drawn to Kathakali and started training at the age of 14. He won the Kerala State Award for the best Kathakali artiste in 2011.
He received initial training from Nedumudy Kuttappa Panicker and subsequently studied under Kurissi Kunjan Panicker and Ambalappuzha Shekharan etc.
Under the renowned Kathakali artiste Kudamaloor Kurunakaran Nair, he specialised in the portrayal of female characters. \
After marrying Rajeswari, the daughter of his master, he relocated to Kudamaloor in Kottayam. He portrayed female leads in performances along with Kalamandalam Gopi, Mankulam Vishnu Namboothiri, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, and other prominent artists.
His wife predeceased him. He was cremated with State honours on the premises of his younger son’s residence on Thursday evening.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
