The Vaikom Muhammad Basheer Chair at the School of Letters, Mahatma Gandhi University, has been reconstituted, with Dr. K.M. Krishnan, former Director and Senior Professor of the School of Letters, as its new Chair Professor. Dr. Krishnan has served as a member of the University Syndicate and Academic Council. He has also held positions such as Dean, Chairperson of the Board of Studies, and Research Guide at MGU and Kerala Kalamandalam. With over three decades of experience in teaching and research, Dr. Krishnan has made significant contributions as a literary critic, author, and translator.

 

The first Chair Professor of the Vaikom Muhammad Basheer Chair, established at Mahatma Gandhi University in 1994, was the renowned linguist and translator Ronald E. Asher, who translated the works of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer into English. Subsequent Chair Professors included Jayanta Mahapatra and Susie Tharu.

 

Dr. Harikumar Changampuzha, a faculty member at the School of Letters, has been given charge as the new Coordinator of the Chair.

 

After taking charge, Dr. K.M. Krishnan stated that programmes will be organised at various centres across the state under the leadership of the Basheer Chair.