Kerala Governor presents Vayalar award to Malayalam poet Ezhacherry Ramachandran

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Tuesday presented the prestigious Vayalar award to well-known Malayalam poet and lyricist Ezhacherry Ramachandran.

Khan presented the 44th edition of the award to Ramachandranat a low key function held at Raj Bhavan here adhering to COVID-19 health protocol.

"I am indeed very happy to present the prestigious Vayalar award to Ezhacherry Ramachandran. The award instituted by the Vayalar memorial trust in 1977 has always been a benchmark of literary merit in Malayalam," Khan said.

The award includes Rs one lakh and a bronze sculpture by renowned sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman.

Khan said the trust deserves admiration for instituting the award and choosing "writers and poets of great literary calibre to receive it." Ramachandran bagged the award for his collection of poems, "A Virginian Veyilkaalam".

Earlier this month, Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust chief and writer Perumbadavam Sreedharan had announced that the jury was unanimous in selecting the winner for the 44th edition of the award.

Ramachandran has won many awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2008.

An online musical night event was held as part of the award ceremony.

(Image: PTI)