THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran journalist Thomas Jacob and endocrinologist Dr Shashank R Joshi received the 17th P Kesavadev awards. While Thomas Jacob was chosen for the Kesavadev Literary Award, Dr Joshi won the Diabscreen Kerala Kesavadev Award. In the virtual award ceremony, General Education Minister V Sivankutty presented the P Kesavadev Literary award to Thomas Jacob for his literary contributions and P Kesavadev Diabscreen Kerala award to Joshi, an endocrinologist for his invaluable efforts at imparting public health education on Covid.
In his inaugural address, the minister opined that in addition to being a unique writer in Malayalam, Kesavadev ignited the spark of humanity, secularism and the courage to speak against injustice through his writings and life. Diplomat T P Sreenivasan, who delivered the remembrance speech, remarked that the theme of humanity which Kesavadev always urged for through his powerful writings will outshine in world literature.