Balamani Amma, a Malyalam poet, has been paid tribute by Google Doodle. Balamani Amma is widely regarded as the grandmother of Malayalam literature. Doodle kept this doodle in her memory on the occasion of her 113th birthday. Devika Ramachandran, a Kerala-based artist, created it.

Who is Balamani Amma?

Balamani Amma was born in the Kerala district of Thrissur in 1909 and has received numerous awards for her literary works. Padma Vibhushan is another honor she has received. Koppukai, Amma’s first poem, was published in 1930. Parikshit Thampuran, the former ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin, recognized Balamani as a gifted poet. Thampuran bestowed the Sahitya Nipun Puraskaram on her.

In the name of Balamani Amma, more than 20 collections of poetry, prose, and translations have been published. According to Google Doodle, her poems about her love for children and grandchildren earned her the titles Amma (mother) and Muthassi (grandmother) of Malayalam poetry.

Balamani’s most well-known works include ‘Amma’ (Mother) and ‘Mazhuvinte Katha’ (The story of the Axe). She was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1965, the Padma Bhushan in 1987, and the Saraswati Samman in 1995 for her popular works. Amma also influenced many writers, including the late Malayalam author Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri. She was also the mother of writer Kamala Surayya, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature in 1984.