Google celebrates work and life of Madhavikutty

Early drafts of the Doodle

Search engine giant Google today honoured Kamala Das with a doodle. The Doodle by artist Manjit Thapp celebrates Kamala Das on the publication date of her autobiography, “My Story,” released in 1976.

“Today we celebrate poet and author Kamala Das. “Das’s life and work had a boldness and shape-shifting quality, whether it was the many genres she wrote in or the various languages in which she expressed herself. She was determined to live life on her own terms, resisting labels such as “feminist” and choosing different names for herself over the course of her life,” Google says in its blog. When she began publishing, she used the pseudonym Madhavikutty; Ami was her pet name; and Suraiyya, the name she gave herself upon her conversion to Islam.

Early drafts of the Doodle

Kamala Das originally wrote her autobiography, “My Story,” in English, and translated it to Malayalam along the way. The story captures her life from childhood to marriage and beyond, describing the rich inner world of a creative soul. While some found the book to be controversial, including relatives who tried to block it from being published, many readers were enchanted by the lyricism and honesty of her writing.

Through all her transitions and personal reinventions, Das continued to write poetry and prose that was unflinching and passionate. Today’s Doodle by artist Manjit celebrates the work she left behind, which provides a window into the world of an engrossing woman.

Early drafts of the Doodle

Kamala Surayya was born in Punnayurkulam, Thrissur, in Kerala, on 31 March 1934, to the former managing editor of Mathrubhoomi VM Nair and Nalapat Balamani Amma, a renowned Malayali poet.