Mu. Metha

Muhammed Metha
Born
Muhammed Metha

(1945-09-05) 5 September 1945 (age 81)
Periyakulam, Madras Presidency, British India
(now Theni district, Tamil Nadu, India)
OccupationsPoet, lyricist, academic
Writing career
Pen nameMu. Metha
LanguageTamil
Notable workAkayathukku Aduthaveedu
Notable awardsSahitya Akademi Award (2006)

Muhammed Metha (born 5 September 1945), better known as Mu. Metha, is an Indian Tamil poet, academic and film lyricist. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil in 2006 for his poetry collection Akayathukku Aduthaveedu.

Early life and academic career

Metha was born in Periyakulam on 5 September 1945. He taught Tamil for decades at Presidency College, Chennai, including a long period as a professor there.

Literary career

The Hindu has described Metha as having played a key role in popularising modern Tamil poetry (pudukkavithai) in the 1970s. Frontline identifies him with the Vanambadi school of Tamil poetry, a free-verse tradition associated with Left-leaning politics and public recitation.

According to The Hindu, he has authored 32 books, including poetry, novels, short-story collections and essays. His early poetry collection Kaṇṇīrppūkkāḷ (Kaneerpookal) appeared in 1974. His novel Sozha Nila (also rendered Chozha Nila) won first prize in a literary contest held for the golden jubilee of Ananda Vikatan.

In 2006 he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tamil for the poetry collection Agayathukku Adutha Veedu.

Film career

Metha has written lyrics for Tamil films. The Hindu reported that he had composed 400 songs for movies. Songs associated with him include lyrics connected with films such as Udaya Geetham, Naan Sigappu Manithan, Idaya Kovil and Rettai Vaal Kuruvi.[citation needed]

In 2024 the Government of Tamil Nadu selected him for the Kalaignar Ninaivu Kalaithurai Vithagar Award for 2023, an honour for lifetime achievement in Tamil cinema. Chief Minister M. K. Stalin presented the award to Metha and playback singer P. Susheela in October 2024.

Bibliography

Short story

  • Mu. Metha Sirukathaigal (மு. மேத்தா சிறுகதைகள்)

Poetry

  • Kaneerpookal (கண்ணீர்ப் பூக்கள்), 1974
  • Oorvalam (ஊர்வலம்), 1977
  • Manach Siragu (மனச்சிறகு), 1978
  • Kanavuk Kuthiraikal (கனவுக்குதிரைகள்), 1992
  • En Pillai Tamil (என் பிள்ளைத் தமிழ்), 1994
  • Otrai Theekutchi (ஒற்றைத் தீக்குச்சி), 1997
  • Akayathukku Aduthaveedu (ஆகாயத்துக்கு அடுத்த வீடு), 2004
  • Kalaignarukkum Tamil Entru Per (கலைஞருக்கும் தமிழ் என்று பேர்), 2010
  • Kanavugalin Kai Elzhuthu (கனவுகளின் கையெழுத்து), 2016
  • Nayakam Oru Kaviyam (நாயகம் ஒரு காவியம்)
  • Anbudan (அன்புடன்)[citation needed]
  • Velicham Veliye Illai (வெளிச்சம் வெளியே இல்லை)[citation needed]

Essay

  • Thirandha Puththagam (திறந்த புத்தகம்)
  • Pakkam Paarthu Pesukiren (பக்கம் பார்த்து பேசுகிறேன்), 2008
  • Pudhukkavithai Poraattam (புதுக்கவிதைப் போராட்டம்)[citation needed]
  • Aduppukkari Thayaarippum Karuvael Mara Valarppum (அடுப்புக்கரி தயாரிப்பும், கருவேல் மர வளர்ப்பும்)[citation needed]
  • Naanum En Kavithaiyum (நானும் என் கவிதையும்)[citation needed]
  • Mu. Maeththaa Munnuraigal (மு.மேத்தா முன்னுரைகள்)[citation needed]

Others

  • Mu. Metha Bathilgal (மு. மேத்தா பதில்கள்)[citation needed]

Novel

  • Chozha Nila (சோழ நிலா)
  • Maguda Nila (மகுட நிலா)
  • Kottaiyai Nokki (கோட்டையை நோக்கி)[citation needed]
  • Ithayavaasal (இதயவாசல்)[citation needed]
  • Ninaiththadhu Negizhndhadhu (நினைத்தது நெகிழ்ந்தது)[citation needed]

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Saqaf, Syed Muthahar (3 September 2006). "Modern poetry brought life to the lifeless". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 March 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Poet Mu Metha and playback singer P Susheela chosen for Kalaignar Vithagar award". DT Next. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "மு.மேத்தாவுக்கு சாகித்ய அகாடமி விருது" [Sahitya Akademi Award for Mu. Metha]. Oneindia Tamil (in Tamil). 22 December 2006. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kalaithurai Vithakar award for P. Susheela and Mu Metha". The Hindu. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "Mēttā, Mu., 1945-". Library of Congress Name Authority File. Library of Congress. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  6. ↑ Suchitra (25 March 2026). "Why Vairamuthu's Jnanpith Award has sparked a crisis in modern Tamil literature". Frontline. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Parakkath Ali, S. A. M. (5 September 2019). ""கண்ணீர்ப் பூக்கள் கிடைத்தது எப்படி?" - மு.மேத்தா பிறந்த தின சிறப்புப் பகிர்வு" [How did Kaneerpookal come about? Mu. Metha birthday special]. Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "மு.மேத்தா (1945)" [Mu. Metha (1945)]. Anna Centenary Library (in Tamil). Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Stalin presents Kalaignar Ninaivu Kalaithurai Vithagar Award to Susheela, Metha". The Hindu. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "Stalin presents Kalaignar Memorial Kalaithurai Vithagar awards to P Susheela, Mu Metha". The Times of India. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "பாவேந்தர் பாரதிதாசன் விருது பெற்றோர்" [Recipients of the Pavendhar Bharathidasan Award]. Tamil Development Department (in Tamil). Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  12. ↑ "கி.ஆ.பெ. விசுவநாதம் விருது பெற்றோர்" [Recipients of the K. A. P. Viswanatham Award]. Tamil Development Department (in Tamil). Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "C.P.-Adithanar-awards-presented-to-V.C.-Kulandaisamy-M.-Metha". thehindu.com. 3 October 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.