<i>The Hindu</i> was my window on the world, says MT

Governor Nikhil Kumar with the writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair and K. Jayakumar, Vice-Chancellor, Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, at a function to give away the Sree Chithira Thirunal award in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Photo: S. Gopakumar

M.T. Vasudevan Nair, eminent writer, has said that he learnt the English language by literally travelling with The Hindu .

“ The Hindu was my window on the world. When I was a young boy, I had no means to access a paper like The Hindu . Those days, The Hindu used to be delivered by post. I would wait for the postman to come. He would give me the copy of the paper. I would remove the wrapper carefully and read the paper as I walked with him. On reaching the house for which the paper was meant, I would put the wrapper back and return the paper to the postman. That was how I learnt the language and saw the world of my time,” Malayalam’s celebrated writer said after receiving the Sri Chithira Tirunal Award.

Presenting the award, Governor Nikhil Kumar said he was a great fan of MT whose film

Nirmalyam had left a deep impact on him.

He could still recall the final scenes of the film where the temple priest (played by P.J. Antony) cut himself in all fury and spit out blood.

The award, instituted by the Sree Chithira Tirunal Trust, carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and a plaque.

The jury, chaired by Palode Ravi, MLA, and having as its members the former Additional Chief Secretary D. Babu Paul and the former general secretary of the BCCI S.K. Nair, selected the writer for his contribution to Malayalam literature and films and for his efforts in establishing the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University and Thunchan Parambu.