Kottayam: Noted Malayalam novelist and short story writer A Sethumadhavan, popularly known as Sethu, has been selected for the prestigious Ezhuthachan Puraskaram this year in recognition of his valuable contribution to Malayalam language and literature. Announcing the Kerala government’s highest literary award here on Tuesday, State Minister for Culture V N Vasavan said the honour carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakhs and a citation.
The judging panel comprising Kerala Sahitya Akademi president K Satchidanandan as chairman and Prof M K Sanu, Vaisakhan, Kaladi Sreesankaracharya University VC M V Narayanan, cultural secretary Rani George as members chose Sethu unanimously for the award.
The 80-year-old who is residing in Kadungalloor in Aluva has also served as the chairman of South Indian Bank, director of State Bank of Travancore and chairman of National Book Trust.
Sethu has his own place in Malayalam short stories and novels. His novels Pandavapuram, Kaimudrakal, Adayalangal, Kiratham, Aaramathe penkutty, Kilimozhikalkkappuram etc. are among the best sellers in Malayalam. He is looked upon as a writer with vast life experience who tried to modernise writing and make it contemporary. His attempts to bring newness regarding theme and narrative style made him different from others. It was the doyen of Malayalam literature M T Vasudevan Nair who published the initial stories of Sethu in Mathrubhumi weekly.
Even while addressing the modern world, Sethu kept the mind of a villager. Sethu who tried to unite tradition and modernity used a language which was simple and sweet.
Pandavapuram, the masterpiece novel of the writer, occupies an important place in the history of Malayalam novels. This novel has been translated to English, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi and German.
He has won several awards over the years which include Kerala Sahitya Akademi award on two occasions (1978 and 1982, Malayattoor award (1999), Muttathu Varkey award (2003), Vayalar award (2006), Kendra Sahitya Akademi award (2007) and Odakkuzhal award (2013).
The judging panel comprising Kerala Sahitya Akademi president K Satchidanandan as chairman and Prof M K Sanu, Vaisakhan, Kaladi Sreesankaracharya University VC M V Narayanan, cultural secretary Rani George as members chose Sethu unanimously for the award.
The 80-year-old who is residing in Kadungalloor in Aluva has also served as the chairman of South Indian Bank, director of State Bank of Travancore and chairman of National Book Trust.
Sethu has his own place in Malayalam short stories and novels. His novels Pandavapuram, Kaimudrakal, Adayalangal, Kiratham, Aaramathe penkutty, Kilimozhikalkkappuram etc. are among the best sellers in Malayalam. He is looked upon as a writer with vast life experience who tried to modernise writing and make it contemporary. His attempts to bring newness regarding theme and narrative style made him different from others. It was the doyen of Malayalam literature M T Vasudevan Nair who published the initial stories of Sethu in Mathrubhumi weekly.
Even while addressing the modern world, Sethu kept the mind of a villager. Sethu who tried to unite tradition and modernity used a language which was simple and sweet.
Pandavapuram, the masterpiece novel of the writer, occupies an important place in the history of Malayalam novels. This novel has been translated to English, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi and German.
He has won several awards over the years which include Kerala Sahitya Akademi award on two occasions (1978 and 1982, Malayattoor award (1999), Muttathu Varkey award (2003), Vayalar award (2006), Kendra Sahitya Akademi award (2007) and Odakkuzhal award (2013).
