KOCHI: Born to Panankavil Damodaran and Koloth Thattarath Madhavi Amma on May 26, 1926 at Azhikode, Kannur, Sukumar Azhikode had his high school education in Chirakkal Raja’s High School and passed B Com in 1946. He secured BT (Teachers Training) in Malayalam and later MA in Sanskrit and Malayalam and PhD in Malayalam.He started his teaching career at Raja’s High School, Chirackal. He also served at St Aloysius College, Mangalore, and Devagiri College, Kozhikode. He was the Principal of SNM Training College, Moottakunnam , and a professor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University. He retired from teaching in 1986. Azhikode was a member of Central and State Academy General Council and Executive Council. He was the founder president of Navabharathavedi - a socio-cultural organisation. Azhikode has won several awards and honours as writer, critic and cultural figure, but he hit the headlines after he rejected some prestigious awards, including Padma Shri. He rejected Padma Shri stating that such honours were against the Constitution. He also rejected the ‘Panampilli Award’ instituted by the KPCC Cultural Forum in memory of Panampilli Govinda Menon. However, his masterpiece ‘Tatvamasi’ (1984), which is considered as an authoritative book on Indian philosophy, Vedas and Upanishads, has won 12 awards, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award (1985), Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award and the Rajaji Award.
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