Writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair gave away the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Vidhi Vaipareethya Vijayasree Puraskaram to visually challenged writer Balan Pootheri during a public function at the Sports Council Hall here on Monday.
The award instituted by the Guruvayur-based Guru Baba Ashramam comprises Rs. 3,33,000 and a citation.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vasudevan Nair said that writing books despite being visually challenged was not an ordinary feat.
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Citing stories from the lives of the American author Helen Keller and English scientist Stephen Hawking, who achieved great heights despite their disabilities, the Jnanpith winner said that the story of Mr. Pootheri was a great inspiration for many as he has been publishing books even after losing his vision completely a few years ago.
Mr. Pootheri, who has written many books, majority of them in the genre of spiritual literature, was telling the world indirectly that what was important was having a light inside for a person to be a writer, than having his eyesight, said Mr. Nair. Writer P.R. Nathan and the award committee member secretary Raja Rajeswari among others spoke.