Asan Poetry Prize for A.Ayyappan

Poet A.Ayyappan, has been chosen for the 2010 Asan Poetry Prize. The Prize carries Rs.30,000 cash, a memento and a citation.

The Prize, the biggest in terms of cash in Malayalam poetry, was announced by the Asan Memorial Association president C.K.Ravi here on Tuesday. The award will be handed over at a function here in the last week of October. C.T.Rajendra Babu, Head, Malayalam department, Madras University, said that a committee comprising of Prof.M.K.Sanu, Dr.M.Thomas Mathew and Dr.G.Prabha selected the poet for the Prize. Initially, an opinion poll was conducted in Kerala ahead of the selection and three names that topped the polls was given to the committee for its consideration, he added.

Asan Prize, instituted in 1985, has been awarded to most of the legends in Malayalam poetry including O.N.V.Kurup, Sugatha Kumari, N.N.Kakkad, P.Bhaskaran, K.Ayyappa Panicker, K.Satchidanandan and Akkitham (Achuthan Namboodiri).