the requisite characteristics of a novel according to widely accepted Malayalam literary convention. It is not the first novel per se, as Kundalatha (a much inferior work) by Appu Nedungadi pre-dates it by two years. Indulekha throws light on the Nair community during the second half of the nineteenth century when it was undergoing a transformation following western influences and English education. It exalts education and satirizes the orthodox practices of marital alliances between Nair women and Namboodiri men. Indulekha was translated into English 1891 by the-then Collector of Malabar district. Indulekha is claimed to be the only Malayalam novel to be reprinted every year for over hundred years. He began a second novel named Sarada, the first part of which appeared in 1892. This novel was meant to be in two parts. However, he was unable to complete the sequel, which never got published. Two English speeches made by Chandu Menon, one on Administration of Justice in Ancient Times and another under the auspices of the Sir T. Muthuswamy Iyer Memorial Committee have been published in book form. Major awards and recognitions He reportedly received a letter from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, W. E. Gladstone, passing on Queen Victoria's appreciation of Chandu Menon's services to Malayalam literature in 1892. The Government of India conferred on him the title of Rao Bahadur in 1897. Madras University recognised his merits, appointed him as Examiner for the Law Degrees in 1898. He was also honoured by Madras University by nominating him as a Fellow of the University. References Further reading External links Write up List of Books Indulekha – English Translation Biographical Sketch Oyyarath house on Wikimapia Report of an incident Malayalam-language writers Malayalam novelists 1847 births 1899 deaths Novelists from Kerala Writers from Kannur 19th-century Indian novelists Indian male novelists 19th-century Indian male writers