KOCHI: Author and literary critic M Leelavathi has alleged a high-level conspiracy to stop the construction of a memorial for Jnanapeeth award-winner G Sankara Kurup in Kerala. She was presenting the ‘Odakkuzhal Award’ to writer N Prabhakaran for his novel ‘Mayamanushyar’ in Kochi on Sunday.
She said that several earlier attempts to build the memorial for the first Jnanapeeth recipient were thwarted at the last minute.
The Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award winner said that there were people who didn’t approve his writings. “By obtaining the first Jnanapeeth award for his works, Sankara Kurup had upset those who didn’t like his poems. Despite being recognised for his contribution to the Malayalam language, only a few turned up to congratulate him for his achievement at that time,” said Leelavathi, who is also the chairperson of the Guruvayoorappan Trust.
The ‘Odakkuzhal Award’ an annual literary-award is constituted by Guruvayoorappan Trust in the memory of author G Sankara Kurup was presented on his 42nd death anniversary at G Auditorium in front of a packed audience.
Congratulating the writer, Leelavathi said that his novel ‘Mayamanushyar’ was aligned with social realities. “N Prabhakaran’s novel narrates the tales of the people in a hapless situation,” she said.