Noted poet and lyricist Yusuf Ali Kecheri bagged this year’s Balamani Amma Award, instituted by the Kochi International Book Festival Committee. The award carries a price of `25,000, citation and a plaque.
The award will be presented to Yusuf Ali on December 7, during the 16th Kochi International Book Festival.
The selection was made by a panel comprising M Achuthan, M Leelavathi and S Ramesan Nair. He was chosen for the award considering his contributions to literature.
Others who won the award in the previous years were Sugathakumari, M Leelavathi, Akkitham, Kovilan, Kakkanadan, Vishnunarayanan Nampoothiry, C Radhakrishnan and M P Veerendrakumar.