KOCHI: The Vayalar Ramavarma Literary Award, one of the biggest literary prize in Kerala, has landed in a controversy after Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust (VRMT) chairman and writer M K Sanu resigned from the post due to “external pressure” on him to select an “undeserved candidate” for the prestigious prize.
Speculation is rife that the committee has more or less finalised the name of poet Puthussery Ramachandran’s autobiography Thilachamannil Kalnadayayi for the award, which is expected to be announced on Saturday. Ramachandran is a CPM sympathiser. V J James’s novel Nireeshwaran and Ezhacheri Ramachandran’s poem Elathumbil Vajradaham are the other names in contention. “As I couldn’t agree with most of the decisions taken by the award committee, I have resigned from the post. Though creativity is the sole parameter for every award, the committee members have given more importance to other factors. V J James and Ezhacheri have come up with experimental works and they were completely ignored for the award, whereas Puthussery Ramachandran’s autobiography, chosen for the award, didn’t have an iota of creativity,” Sanu told TNIE, explaining his decision to step down from the post.
When contacted, VRMT secretary C V Thrivikraman clarified that no name has been finalised for the award as yet and the winner of the Vayalar award will only be announced on Saturday. “Sanu Mash has cited only physical discomfort and age as the reasons behind the decision to step down. Though we have requested him to withdraw the decision, he didn’t agree. So far, we haven’t taken any decision on the award. We will convene the trust meeting on Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram to select the successor of Sanu Sir and will announce the winner,” said Thrivikraman.
Vayalar trust member Perumbadavam Sreedharan was unavailable for comments. Meanwhile, many prominent Malayalam literary names have come in support of Sanu even as they criticised the trust members for distorting the image of the prestigious award. “The practice of awarding laurels to undeserved persons have become an epidemic in Kerala. For a long time, the award has been going to the wrong hands. At least, Sanu Mash has come out against this injustice and the entire state will support his sincerity,” said Balachandran Vadakkedath, a leading critic.