Noted poet, scholar and teacher Puthussery Ramachandran has been selected for the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram for 2015. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs.1.5 lakh, a citation and plaque.
Culture Minister K.C. Joseph called on Dr. Ramachandran at his residence in the city to inform him of the award. The judging committee was chaired by Kerala Sahitya Akademi president Perumbadam Sreedharan.
In a press note issued here on Monday, the Minister said Dr. Ramachandran’s contributions to Malayalam language were invaluable. “He succeeded in bringing great works of literature like Kannassa Ramayanam to light,” he said.
Feels honoured
Dr. Ramachandran told the Minister that he felt honoured to be selected for the award instituted in the name of one of the greatest Malayalam poets.
The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram was instituted by the State government in 1993 to honour eminent scholars in recognition to their contributions to Malayalam language and literature.
Dr. Ramachandran has taught at S.N. College, Kollam, and the Department of Malayalam, University of Kerala. In 1988, he retired as Professor and Dean of Oriental Faculty.
He was the general secretary of the First World Conference on Malayalam Language and Kerala Culture organised by the university in 1977.
Inspiration
As a poet, he drew inspiration from revolutionary politics, the life and struggles of the common man and the spiritual tradition of Indian philosophy. He is known for his in-depth study of the early and medieval Malayalam language and history of Kerala. In 2009, he was conferred the fellowship of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi.
Dr. Ramachandran is credited with publishing the complete text of Kannassa Ramayanam , the first complete Ramayana in Malayalam.
His most important scholarly work is Kerala Charithrathinte Adisthana Rekhakal (The basic documents of the history of Kerala).
In 2014, he was selected by the Sahitya Akademi for the Bhasha Samman.
He has also translated works from English, Sanskrit, Tamil, Russian and African languages.
