On the rainy evening that writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair was presented with the ONV Literary award, he chose to recollect his memories of an award from several years back that he could not win, but was won by O.N.V. Kurup, then a young college student. The writer and the poet, who in later years became close, did not know each other then.
“Those were times when I used to scribble stories and poems, but was not brave enough to show it to anyone. I saw a call for entries for gold medal for poetry as part of the Purogamana Sahithya Sammelanam. I wanted to send a poem, but some elders advised me against it, saying all big names would send their works. But, when the report of the award came in newspapers, we were all surprised. A young unknown college student had won it. His name was O.N.V. Kurup. My respect for him and our relationship dates back to that day,” said MT, at the award function at Tagore theatre.
Describing the moment when he received the ONV award as one of the most beautiful and memorable in his life, MT said it was an occasion for him to take stock of all that he had lost, most importantly a close friend and elder brother.
“His lines were not something that we would recite only for pleasure. Those lines carried our deepest emotions and dilemmas. His loss is something that still troubles my mind,” he said.
Writer C. Radhakrishnan, who inaugurated the function, said ONV was not a poet who was affiliated to any specific organisation or group. “ONV was not someone who stuck to the place where he began. He accepted into his personality and his poetry all that he saw around him, all of the sufferings and quirks. He grew into a great tree, spreading its branches far and wide,” he said.
The writer said there had been attempts to deride and discredit the work of even the greatest of poets like Kalidasa and Ezhuthachan through false stories about their behaviour.
Film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, chairman of the ONV Cultural Academy, who presented the award, said ONV was someone who was born a poet and died a poet.
“How many poets have been able to communicate with all sections of people like ONV has done? There is hardly any Malayali who has not heard at least a line of ONV poetry,” said the film-maker.
The award for young poet was presented to Anuja Akathoot.
