Students and faculty members of the department of Architecture and Planning at the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) are elated that their academic project has greatly contributed to Kozhikode earning the prestigious Unesco ‘City of Literature’ title.
A dedicated team tirelessly gathered details and literary documents, showcasing the city as home to numerous celebrated writers. Their study uncovered the literary history of Kozhikode dating back to the 14th century. “The department of Architecture is ranked as the second-best architecture department in India, and our team is dedicated to serving society and aiding the community,” said NIT-C Director Prasad Krishna. “We are thrilled that our efforts to highlight the city’s literary tradition have yielded positive results,” he added.
The students involved in the study also revealed several interesting facts about the city. For instance, Kozhikode has the highest concentration of libraries in India, with 550 libraries excluding personal collections.
The team began the study in July 2022 and completed their work in January 2023. The comprehensive document was submitted to the Unesco in June 2023.
C. Mohammed Firoz, head of the department of Architecture and Planning and a faculty coordinator of the study, said, “We discovered a large number of literary enthusiasts from various social backgrounds, which helped us secure the title.”
The team, composed of Promiti Mallick, Athira Ashokan, Bharat Reddy, Nimil Hussain, and P.K. Lavanya, completed the documentation by conducting interviews with people from all walks of life, including writers, doctors, ordinary people, working women, and homemakers.
Faculty members, including Shyni Anil Kumar and research scholar Susan Cyriac, provided guidance. The project was successfully completed with support from Ajith Kaliyath from Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur, and Beena Philip, Mayor of Kozhikode Corporation.
The study also proposed initiatives to enhance the city’s literary culture, including a literature museum, a reading street, a children’s literature festival, and the revival of ‘kolaya culture’ (the use of verandas for discussing literary topics).
NIT-C experts believe that the Unesco City of Literature tag for Kozhikode will boost its literary culture and tourism prospects while benefiting the city’s social fabric.. “We’ve learned that the Kozhikode Corporation has already allocated ₹1 crore in the budget to launch the proposed initiatives from the study,” said Dr. Firoz said.
