Friends @ Ullum Puravum

K. T. Krishna Variar (aka K. K. Variar)
The Poet @ Ullum Puravum

Engineer and Poet K. T. Krishna Variar retired as Group General Manager, RITES. His published works include പുഴ, ചത്വരത്തിലെ പറവകൾ, കൊച്ചരിപ്പൂക്കൾ, ബലിക്കാക്ക, കടൽപ്പക്ഷി, കുരുക്ഷേത്രം, ശക്തിദുർഗ്ഗ, ധൂർജ്ജടി, ശാപമോക്ഷം, സൗന്ദര്യലഹരി (തർജ്ജമ), ഭാഷാഭഗവദ്‌ഗീത (തർജ്ജമ), ഈശാവാസ്യം (തർജ്ജമ), and സ്വാമി അയ്യപ്പൻ. [Please read about the poet in more detail in the 'About' section of the blog.] 

Dr. K. V. Rajagopalan
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Dr. K. V. Rajagopalan, the poet's nephew, is Deputy Chief Physician at Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal. After studying Ayurveda in the gurukulam system of education at Ayurveda College, Coimbatore, he has been working at Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala for almost 30 years. Dr. Rajagopalan has lectured on several platforms, both in India and abroad, for the propagation of Ayurveda. Along with clinical practice, he keeps music close to his heart and loves listening to poetry.

Smitha Keeran Warrier
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Smitha Keeran Warrier, the poet's daughter, is Campus Counselor at Christ University, Bangalore, Kengeri Campus. A life coach, counselor and mentor by profession, her passion embraces art, culture, family and friends. While music and dance comes to her naturally, her heart is in theatre. Smitha has had the opportunity to perform under the guidance of and along with some leading theatre personalities. 

Sreedevi Unni
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Sreedevi Unni, the poet's daughter, owns Hinterland Village Resort, a Yoga and Ayurveda health retreat, located at Mulanthuruthy, Kochi. She is involved in all the activities of the retreat, which aims to make a difference in the lives and health of all their visitors from across the world. An ardent art and music enthusiast, Sreedevi has received extensive training in Carnatic Music.

Dhanya Pappan
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

A journalist by qualification, Dhanya Pappan has worked in the advertising field as a copywriter and creative coordinator for two decades. She is currently involved in compiling traditional knowledge in indigenous medicines, for which very few palm-leaf scripts are available and knowledge is generally handed down by the gurus to their disciples through word of mouth.  Dhanya is passionate about poetry and is a poet herself.

Jayasree Peringode
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Jayasree T. teaches Malayalam at Peringode High School. With a keen interest in literature, she has a passion for reading and writing poetry. Her poems in Malayalam have been featured in several online magazines. Jayasree has a penchant for writing ekphrastic poems. She writes under the pen name, Jayasree Peringode.

Ramprasad Menon
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Ramprasad Menon, a banker by profession, has served several leading banks in the Gulf countries since 1978. He retired in 2021 as Operational Risk Manager, Credit Agricole, UAE. Ramprasad has a passion for reading and reciting poetry and is an aksharaslokam enthusiast. He occasionally scribbles poems, and in 2017, he won the Kavanakauthukam Award for the best poem published in the monthly in 2016.

Nirmala Gangadharan
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Nirmala Gangadharan taught in a school in Kozhikode for 7-8 years before she became a full-time homemaker. As the daughter of Pulakkat Sankara Warrier, who was a teacher at the Samoothiri College High School, Kozhikode, and also a literature enthusiast and poet, Nirmala grew up in an environment of literature. Her father inculcated love of literature in her by teaching her poems right from a tender age, and her interest in poetry grew with her through the years.

Das M. D.
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Das M. D. teaches Malayalam in Cherpulassery High School, Palakkad. A talented singer who loves to recite poems, he has also proved his flair with the pen. An active participant and compelling presence in various literary fora, Das is a known face in poetry reading and aksharaslokam gatherings. He is one of the founders of Kavyalapanam, an association of poetry readers.

Sandhya E.
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Former Associate Professor of Statistics at Prajyothi Nikethan, Sandhya E. is a prolific writer of poems and short stories. Much recognised both as a teacher and as a writer, she has received the Young Scientist Award from  Indian Science Congress, several awards for her excellence as a teacher, and numerous awards for her poetry and short-story collections, the most recent one being the Yuvakala Sahiti Vayalar Award for Poetry. Her published works of poetry include Sagaranidra, Perillavandiyil, Ammayullathinal, Ee Mazhayude Oru Karyam, and Kaikkudannayile Buddhan. Her short-story collections are Violet, Anantharam Charulatha, 4D, and Padikal Kayarunna Penkutty.

Arundhathy Varma
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Arundhathy Varma teaches Sanskrit at Peringode High School. Reading and reciting poetry has been her passion right from her school days. This led her on to win prizes for poetry recital at State Youth Festivals in Kerala. Ever since, she has kept her love for poetry alive and has been rendering poetry for enthusiastic audiences.

Praseeda P. M.
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Praseeda P. M., who teaches Malayalam at High School Peringode, is a published poet. Her poems have appeared in several journals and magazines. A singer, she has a penchant for dancing and is an exponent of the traditional dance form of Kerala, Kaikottikkali. 

Naveen Kambram
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Naveen Kambram, who has an MPhil in Sanskrit, teaches Sanskrit at Veda Rakshana Samithi, Vedapathashala, Ramanathapuram Agraharam, Palakkad. He is also pursuing his PhD programme in Sanskrit Vyakarana at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. Naveen’s higher studies, following his basic schooling, have been entirely focussed on exploring Sanskrit literature. His literary works have been published in academic journals and presented in national and international seminars. He has received the third prize in the Shalaka Pareeksha on Mahabhashya Paspashahnika organised by SSUS, Kalady Main Campus.

M. S. Ajayan
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

M. S. Ajayan, whose academic credentials include M.Sc., MCA, MBA and FIETE, is Deputy General Manager, BSNL, Palakkad. Ajayan inherits his penchant for poetry from his father, M. S. Variar, who was a voracious reader, poet and linguist by passion, and his mother, M. V. Lakshmi. Ajayan himself has several published poems and essays to his credit. He has received C. B. Kumar Endowment Prize instituted by Kerala Sahitya Akademi and prizes awarded by Uroob Anusmarana Samiti, Kairali Sahitya Samiti, and Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham.

K. A. Sudarsana Kumar
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

A native of Alanallur, Palakkad, K. A. Sudarasana Kumar is the Headmaster of A. M. L. P. School, Alanallur. Along with his pedagogical responsibilities, he keeps himself seriously engaged with the political and social issues of the society. A poetry enthusiast, his love for poetry spills out in the form of soulful renditions.

Krishnakumar Varma
Reciter @ Ullum Puravum

Krishnakumar Varma, an Ex-Senior Banker who has worked in India and abroad for 27 years, belongs to the Kodungallur Chirakkal Kovilakam. He is currently settled in Ernakulam and leads an establishment engaged in foodstuff trading business which goes by the name Devi Foods, Pickles & Condiments. A writer, poet, guitar player and singer, Varma wears many hats. He is a devoted Gayathri upasaka, and a follower, student, and teacher (updhyaya) of Vedas under the tutelage of Sri Arunprabhakar, Gayathri Gurukulam.

Sujatha Warrier
Blogger @ Ullum Puravum

Sujatha Warrier, the poet's daughter, is a writer, editor, poet and translator. She has been working in the print and online media since 1986 and has worked with publications, and advertising, marketing and branding companies. She has published three collections of poetry - The Attic & Other Poems, Fireflies, and One More Line and Other Poems. Sujatha created this blog to share the poet's writings and make them visible and accessible in the virtual space.

Sajith Joseph
Tech-Support @ Ullum Puravum

Sajith Joseph is Digital Marketing Manager, Global Marketing Team, at Amphenol ICC. Through his career that spans more than 15 years, he has served several multi-million dollar companies. He is the on-call support system for Ullum Puravum. He extends his guidance and services as and when required to ensure the smooth running of the blog.