ONV Kurup , born in Chavara, in 1931, published his first collection Porutunna Soundaryam (Beauty, Rebellious) in 1949. Joined the Govt. Maharajah’s College, Ernakulum as Lecturer in Malayalam in 1957 and retired as Professor and HOD. He has been Member, Executive Board of Kerala Sahitya Akademi and Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi and Chairman, Kerala Kalamandalam (The Academy of Performing Arts, Kerala).

In 1971, ONV Kurup received Kerala Shaitya Akademi Award and Sahitya Akademi Award in 1975. Recipient of several more prestigious awards like the Vayalar Award, Soviet Land Nehru Award, Baratiya Bhasha Parishad’s Bhilwara Award, Mahakavi Ullor Award, Asan Prize, Asan Memorial Award, Chennai, the first Award in the Memory of Mahakavi Qwaram Joshua (a national award for poetry) from Hyderabad, Mahakavi P. Kunhiraman Nair Award, Mahakavi G. Sankara Kurup Centenary Award, Mahakavi Vennikulam Centenary Award and National Film Award for Best Lyricist.

ONV Kurup has visited several foreign countries on literary missions, including USA, UK, the erstwhile USSR and other European countries. He is a Fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Academy and has been awarded Padmashri.