'Memorial for M V Devan Soon'
The State Government will soon set up M V Devan Kalapadana Kendram at Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy, Ernakulam, as a memorial to noted sculptor M V Devan who died recently, Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph has said.
Speaking at the M V Devan commemoration meeting at Trivandrum Press Club organised by Kerala Lalithakala Academy on Wednesday, Joseph said that an audiovisual unit will be started as part of the Kalapadana Kendram, to come up at Lalitha Kala Academy’s Durbar hall in Kochi.
It was M V Devan himself who had during his lifetime insisted against any official honours for his funeral, the minister said.
“M V Devan was an unique person among artists. He had strong viewpoints of his own and had took firm decisions. He did not change his stand for any benefits,’’ he said.
Devan has never gone after awards but on the contrary awards have come towards Devan, he said.
“His contributions to the world of art would be the real memorial for him. The ideas propagated by Devan, will be useful for the upcoming artists as well as the well wishers,’’ he said.
The minister recalled an incident where Devan rejected the financial assistance from the Government, during his treatment period, saying that his children are capable to bear the expenses of his treatment.
CPM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, PSC chairman K S Radhakrishnan, Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy chairman K A Francis, vice-chairman Kattoor Narayana Pillai, secretary R Gopalakrishnan, Kerala Sahithya Academy president Perumbadavam Sreedharan, Kanayi Kunhiraman, N N Rimsan and K K Rajappan were also present.