SOURCE: INDIANEXPRESS

Announcing the award here on Tuesday, State Culture Minister V N Vasavan said Sethu's experiences as a writer will inspire the new generation

Noted Malayalam fiction writer Sethu has been selected for the Kerala government’s prestigious ‘Ezhuthachan Puraskaram’ this year in recognition of his overall contribution to Malayalam language and literature.

Announcing the award here on Tuesday, State Culture Minister V N Vasavan said Sethu’s experiences as a writer will inspire the new generation.

He focussed on modernising the literature by standing beyond the definitions of movements and trends, the minister said.

A banker by profession, the 80-year-old’s noted works include ‘Pandavapuram’ and ‘Atayalangal’ (novels) and ‘Petiswapnangal’ and ‘Sethuvinte Kathakal’ (short story).

Sethu is also a recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for both novel and short story.

The state government’s highest literary honour has been named after Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, a 16th century devotional poet, considered to be the father of Malayalam language.

The honour carries a cash award of Rs 5,00,000 and a citation.