The Balamani Amma Award instituted by the Kochi International Book Festival Committee was presented to writer T. Padmanabhan here on Thursday. The award was presented by Telugu writer Kolakaluri Enoch at the ongoing book festival. The award carries a cash component of ₹51,000, a plaque and a citation. Mr. Enoch said Malayalam literature had a critical impact on writings across the country. Malayalam writings upheld humanitarian values and a respect for women, he added.
Critic M.N. Karassery recalled Balamani Amma as a writer who was committed to society. She was a Gandhian by all means. He said there was a need to revisit Balamani Amma’s works at a time when people unabashedly paraded Godse as the symbol of Indian nationalism.
Mr. Padmanabhan said he took to reading by enjoying short poems. Even at present, it was poetry that interested him, he said.
