Today’s Google Doodle celebrates the 113th birthday of the Indian poet Balamani Amma

The Google homepage pays a tribute to the famous poet and the grandmother of Malayalam literature Balamani Amma with a unique Google Doodle.

Today’s Google Doodle remembers the grandmother of Malayalam literature Balamani Amma on her 113th birthday. (Google)

Today's Google Doodle: If you have opened the Google homepage today, you probably came across the unique Google Doodle with a woman sitting down, writing on a paper, with books all around her. This person is Balamani Amma, famous Indian poet who is also known as the grandmother of Malayalam literature. And Google has decided to celebrate her 113th birthday, which is today, July 19, with a special Doodle to remember her with. Amma's life was an inspirational story of triumphing over struggles and fulfilling dreams through sheer determination and hard work. So, read to know more about this Indian personality who has been recognized by Google.

Google posted on its blog about the Google Doodle and said, “Today's Doodle, illustrated by Kerala-based artist Devika Ramachandran, celebrates the 113th birthday of Balamani Amma, a famous Indian poet who was known as the grandmother of Malayalam literature—a language spoken in Kerala, India. On this day in 1909, she was born in Nalapat, her ancestral home in Punnayurkulam located in the Thrissur district. She was a recipient of countless awards for her poetry including the Saraswati Samman—the nation's most esteemed literary award—and Padma Vibhushanthe—second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India”.

Google Doodle celebrates the 113th birthday of Balamani Amma

Interestingly, Amma had never received any formal education and instead was schooled at home under her maternal uncle, who was also a popular Malayali poet. Amma spent her childhood reading his vast collection of books of stories and poems and it had a deep impact on her. She married V.M. Nair, the managing director and managing editor of the Malayalam newspaper Mathrubhumi at the age of 19. Her first published poem came at the age of 21 and was titled Kooppukai.

Celebrating the gifted poet, the Google Doodle shows her sitting down in a traditional Malayali porch with books and clay pots surrounding her. A cup of warm beverage can be seen near her feet as she writes on a piece of paper, completely immersed in her work.

“Balamani Amma was a recipient of multiple awards, and published more than 20 anthologies of poetry, prose and translations. She was also the mother of Kamala Das, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature in 1984. Amma passed away in 2004 and her cremation was attended with full state honors. Her poems describing her love for children and grandchildren earned her the titles of Amma (Mother) and Muthassi (Grandmother) of Malayalam poetry,” the Google post added.