Santhakumar Award for KV Ramanathan

Santhakumar Award for KV Ramanathan: Children's writer K V Ramanathan has been chosen for this year's CG Santhakumar Award instituted by Kerala Children's Literature Institute, for his overall contribution to the field of children's literature.
Minister for culture KC Joseph announced the award at a news conference
in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. The award carries Rs 50,000, citation and statuette.The award committee chaired by by theatre personality and
poet Kavalam Narayana Panicker recommended Ramanathan for the award unanimously. The award selection had been done after eliciting opinions from as many as 25 well known writers in Malayalam.
"With an illustrious writing career spanning over 50 years, the writings of Ramanathan always stood high in literary qualities and influenced generations of readers," the jury observed.
Born in 1932 at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district, Ramanathan started his career as a teacher. Appukkuttanum Gopiyum was his first book. Later, he went on writing numerous stories and novels. One of the most acclaimed works of Ramanathan was a book on history of children's literature in Malayalam. He was selected as president of State Children's Literature Academy in 1988.
Children's literature institute director in-charge Thumbaman Thomas was also present.