Veteran artiste Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody has won this year’s state Kathakali award.
Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph said that Pisharody was selected by a jury chaired by Madavoor Vasudevan Nair.
Vasu Pisharody, a former teacher of Kerala Kalamandalam is known for his excellence in portraying Kathi and Minukku veshams. He had earlier won the Kerala Kalamandalam fellowship and Sangeet Natak Akademi award. He hails from Kongad in Palakkad. The jury members included Kalamandalam Vice-Chancellor P N Suresh, Vattaparambil Gopinatha Pillai, Kottakkal Chandrasekharan and Cultural Affairs Secretary Sajan Peter.
The Minister said the Pallavoor Appu Marar Puraskaram will be awarded to Peruvanam Kuttan Marar. Marar is a winner of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award and Padmashri.
The Keraleeya Nritha-Natya puraskaram will be presented to Kalamandalam Saraswathi.
A winner of the Kalamandalam award, Saraswathi runs a classical dance school in Kozhikode.