A former chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam and an author of 20 books of poetry, his poems were noted for their explicit social expressions.

[3] Later, he was engaged in timber and rubber businesses and was involved in local politics, presiding over Ezhakkad Panchayat and Kottoppadam Panchayath, during the period from 1950 to 1964.

[8][9] Olappamanna published his first poem in 1942 and his oeuvre comprises 21 books of poetry[10] which include award winning titles such as Kathakavithakal and Nizhalana.

Orkkuka Vallappozhum, the 2009 Malayalam film, has one of Olappamanna's poems, adapted as a song by M. Jayachandran, and sung by himself and Sujatha Mohan.

[10] He was also associated with Yogakshema Sabha and Purogamana Sahithya Samkhadana for a brief period[6] and sat in the director board of Sahitya Pravarthaka Sahakarana Sangham, a writers' cooperative, from 1965 to 1974 and in the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi from 1979 to 1984.