THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Writer M Mukundan has won this year’s Vallathol award for his creative works reflecting the beauty and simplicity of the language. The award instituted by the Vallathol Sahithya Samithi carries a purse of `1,11,111 along with a citation.
Mukundan has been chosen for the award by a jury consisting of R Ramachandran Nair, P Narayanakurup, Prabha Varma, A M Unnikrishnan and Nanthyath Gopalakrishnan. Mukundan’s works have won a place in the hearts of Malayalees and his work Mayyzhipuzhayude Theerangalil is one of the best works in Malayalam in the past three decades, the jury observed. The award will be presented during the Literature festival to be organised on October 16, the birth anniversary of Vallathol Narayana Menon at Theerthapada Mandapam.
The Vallathol Sahithya Samithi also decided to give a special award to Professor C G Rajagopal for the distinguished translation of Thulaseedasa Ramayanam to Malayalam.