KOCHI: Writers Malayath Appunni and Anuja Akathootu are the winners of this year’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi’s Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar in Malayalam language. The awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday.
Popular children’s writer Malayath Appunni, 75, won the Bal Sahitya award for his contribution to children’s literature. He is a winner of several awards, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi for his works. The prize comprises an engraved copper plaque and a cheque for `50,000.
Writer Anuja Akathootu’s collection of poems Amma Urangunnila won her the Yuva Puraskar for 2019. She will receive an engraved copper plaque and a cheque for `50,000. She is a winner of ONV Yuva Sahitya award, Venmani award, Thrissur Thunchan Smaraka Award, Vyloppilly award, Dr Ayyappa Panicker Smaraka Award, among others.
Anuja is a native of Payipra near Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district. She is the daughter of Payipra Radhakrishnan and writer Nalini Bekal. Kerala Veterinary University Assistant Professor Dr Muhammad Aslam is her husband. The jury for Bala Sahitya Puraskar in Malayalam were writers U A Khader, Dr K S Ravikumar and Elavur Sreekumar while the jury for Yuva Puraskar in Malayalam were Dr Geetha Puthussery, Dr P S Radhakrishnan and Dr Nedumudi Harikumar.
The awards will be distributed on November 14, the Children’s Day.
The awards relate to books first published between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017.
The annual award established in 1954 by the Government of India aims to promote regional literature in the country through awards, fellowships, grants, publications, literary programmes, workshops and exhibitions. The awards in each language is decided by a jury panel of three members.