KOCHI: Kerala Lalithakala Akademi has acknowledged and brought to mainstream artists from peripheries, said Education Minister M A Baby. He was speaking at the Akademi’s award presentation ceremony at Durbar Hall Art Centre. The Minister also inaugurated the building of Centre For Art Reference and Research (CARE), a project envisaged by the Akademi with a view to forming a centre for interdisciplinary research and studies with special focus on visual arts. He also presented the K C S Paniker Puraskaram, Kesari Puraskaram, Padmini Puraskaram, J Swaminathan Puraskaram, Jangarh Singh Shyam Puraskaram, Sonabai Rajwar Puraskaram and Akademi fellowships. Kerala Lalithakala Akademi chairman C N Karunakaran and secretary Sathyapal also spoke.
Sadanand Menon released the catalogue of CARE and state awards 2011. V Venu, presented the State Award for Photography and Cartoon. Jose Dominic, managing director, CGH Earth, presented the Laurie Baker Puraskaram to Jaigopal G Rao and Prof Eugine N Pandala. Prof Ajayakumar presented honourable mention state awards for painting and sculpture. Artist Namboothiri presented the state awards for painting and sculpture and B R Ajith inaugurated the 40th state exhibition of art, photography and cartoon.
P Gopinath and V K Rajan received the Akademi fellowships and K S Radhakrishnan received the K C S Paniker Puraskaram. J Swaminathan Puraskarm was given to Pandiram Mandavi, a sculptor from Chattisgarh, Kalamezhutu artists Varanattu Sankara Narayana Kurup and Parappa Karikutti. Jangarh Singh Shyam Puraskaram was given to Shankar Lal Jhara and Sonabai Rajwar Puraskaram was given to Sundaribai Rajawar. N K P Muthukoya received Padmini Puraskaram and Sunil P Elayidam received Kesari Puraskaram.
The recipients of state award for visual art include Chandranandan V, Faisal Mohammed, Konniyoor Kalabhakesari, Onyx Paulose, Ponmani Thomas, Saju Ayyampilly and T K Sujith. The recipients of honourable mention of visual art are Avanavu Narayanan, Chithra E G, K B Girish, T V G Menon, T S Prasad, Radha Gomathy, Suhil Raj A S, Shijith Sreeranganathan and Siddik Paravoor. Special mention for art students was given to Abhilash P G, Arun Vijayan, Jobin Joseph, Jayasankar T S and Sanoj P C. Award for book on art and artists was given to Smitha Gopal, Sankara Menon Endowment Gold Medal for Landscape/Portrait was given to Aji Viswanathan and Vijay Raghavan Endowment gold medal was given to Satheesh Vellinezhi.