Chakravarti, Kavikankan Mukundaram (c 1540-1600) medieval poet of mangalkavya, son of Hridoy Mishra of Damunya village in Burdwan district. His mother's name was Daivaki.

In 1575 Mukundaram had to leave home and take shelter in the Arara village of Midnapur district. There the zamindar, Bankura Ray, appointed him tutor of his son, Raghunath Ray. One day Mukundaram dreamed of the goddess chandi, who appeared to him and told him to write. Subsequently, as the court poet of Raghunath, he wrote about the goddess in Chandimangal (c 1594-1600). For writing this poem, Raghunath Ray awarded him the title of 'Kavikankan'.

Mukundaram had an uncommon power of observation. Though his purpose was to eulogise the goddess, Chandimangal provides a vivid description of the life of the common people of that period. His characters Murari Sheel, Bhadu Dutta, and Fullara have become immortal. Mukundaram's dramatic sensibility and his ability to convey different emotions have helped make him one of the finest of mangalkavya poets. [Khandker Muzammil Haq]