KOCHI: Artist C Bhagyanath has been selected as the recipient of the first Artist Namboothiri Samman, instituted by The Artist Namboothiri Samman Trust based in Kochi. The award will be presented by Dadasaheb Phalke Award-winning actor Mohanlal at a ceremony to be held at TDM Hall, Ernakulam, at 5 pm on Saturday (October 18).
The function will be presided over by Babu Joseph, managing trustee of the Trust. The award jury was chaired by senior journalist K C Narayanan, with Murali Cheeroth, chairperson of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, and cartoonist-writer Ravishankar Etteth serving as members.
Artist Namboothiri’s son Devan, cartoonist Sudheernath, and documentary filmmaker Binuraj Kalapeedam, who are members of the Trust, will also participate in the event.
The award was chosen from applications received from across the country. From an initial shortlist of 10 artists prepared by a preliminary jury, the final selection was made by the main panel, a release said here. Artists, institutions, and individuals were invited to nominate artists for consideration.
C Bhagyanath, known for his distinctive line drawings, has been active in the Malayalam literary world for over 27 years, illustrating works by leading writers in stories, novels, poems, and essays. His works have been featured in exhibitions across India and abroad, including the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and Lokame Tharavadu.
