K Prajisha of Malappuram, Ajijesh Pachatt of Parappanangadi and Lasar Shine of Cherthala emerged winners of the M P Narayana Pillai memorial short story competition organised by the ‘Samakalika Malayalam Varika,’ the sister publication of The New Indian Express. The competition was organised to identify younger generation of Malayalam short story writers.
Prajisha, a thid-year computer engineering diploma student at Thiroorangadi Government Polytechnic, won the first place for her short story ‘Kanyam.’
The first prize carries a purse of Rs.50,000 and a citation. Ajijesh, a construction worker, won the second place for the story ‘To Xray-16’. The second prize winner will get a citation and a purse of Rs. 25,000. Laser Shine, a journalist with Top Gear magazine won the third place, consisting of Rs. 15,000 and a citation, for the story ‘Sar violence’. The winners were selected by a jury of prominent writers comprising Sarah Joseph, Benyamin and critic K S Ravikumar.
‘Kanyam which won the first place presented a relatively novel platform of experience,” the jury members said. The style of writing was also appreciated by the judges’ panel. Prajisha won the award for her first short story. The second place winner Ajijesh has won many awards and published a couple of stories. Laser Shine, who won the third place, has a couple of published works in his name.
Of the total 326 short stories, 12 made it to the final round. The other stories which reached the final round are ‘Kadal Karayedukkunna Rathri’ (Amal), ‘Thodupuzha’ (Sanil Abraham), ‘Jalakanyaka’ (K V Manikandan), ‘Pippalanthriyile Penmarangal’ (Sudheerkumar V K), ‘Kulavazha’ (Devadas V M), ‘Hippopotamus’ (Nidheesh G), ‘Water Bomb’ (M A Byju), ‘O V Vijayante Kamuki’ (Abin Joseph) and ‘Oru Kavalkkarante Kadhayillayma’ (Remya K).
