THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Noted author Sethu has been chosen for the prestigious Ezhuthachan Award, the highest literary honour by the state government, for his overall contribution to Malayalam language and literature. The award carries a purse of `5 lakh, citation and a statuette.
A jury with Kerala Sahithya Academy president K Satchidanandan as chairman and Professor M K Sanu, Vaisakhan, Kalady Sanskrit University Vice-Chancellor M V Narayannan and Cultural secretary Rani George as members, unanimously recommended Sethu for the top literary prize this year. Announcing the award, Cultural Affairs Minister V N Vasavan termed Sethu a writer who has inspired several generations.
Sethu has carved his own space in Malayalam literature, be it short story or novel. A banker by profession, the 80-year-old writer has won numerous literary awards in Malayalam. Going beyond literary movements and trends, Sethu has tried to modernise writing and make it more contemporary. He always tried to bring in a novelty in theme and writing style. M T Vasudevan Nair, the doyen of Malayalam literature, has termed Sethu’s creative life akin to a pilgrimage.