Jnanapith Award winner ONV Kurup
Our Great Poet, Shri ONV Kurup has won the coveted and prestigious Jnanapith Award. He happens to be the FIFTH Keralite to bag this great Award.
Achievements and awards of ONV Kurup
Jnanapith Award is the highest award in literary world. A trust, Bharathiya Jnanapith founded by Sahu Jain family - publishers of the TIMES OF INDIA group
is presenting this Award. The Award meaning "Knowledge Seat" carry a Cheque for Rs 7,00,000.00 apart from a citation plaque and a replica in bronze depicting Hindu Goddess Saraswathi, abode of Knowledge, Arts and music. It was in 1961 that this Award was constituted and the first awardee was the great Malayalam Poet, G Sankara Kurup in 1965. Besides, poet G, the other personalities who enrichsed our local tongue are (1) SK Pottekkat in 1980 for his book "Oru Desathinte Katha";
(2) Thakazhi Sivasankaran Pillai in 1984 for "Kayar"; (3) MT Vasudevan Nair in 1995 for "Randam Oozham" and (4) ONV Kurup for his various contributions in 2007. The award announcements lag behind the award years, of late.
Ottaplavil Narayanan Velu Kurup later short named as ONV was born on 27th May 1931 in a village Chavara in Kollam. He happens to be the second Poet to bag the Award - next to G Sankara Kurup. ONV started his poetic career from his school days with his poem "Munnottu" appearing in local daily in 1946 and in 1949, his first publication "Poruthunna Soundaryam" came to light. In 1957, he became a College lecturer and continued as an Academician for 30 years. ONV had made his foot print in literary world during the pre-independence into mid-fifties, called "the pink decade". Naturally, the poems had a touch of revolutionary flavour. His works were eminent in nature with an odour of resonance of tragedy at times, followed by human concerns, changing life styles and hence refinements in civilizations. His Voice is still a motivating factor. No iota of doubt, this Award for the 79 year young POET is n appreciation of the language MALAYALAM. He is also a popular Lyricist in Malayalam Films.
ONV had worked and headed various State and Central Govt Organisations like Sahitya Academy, Nw Delhi' Kerala Kalamandalam, State Academy of prforming Classical Arts; Kerala Sahitya Academy to name a few. He was a member of various international delegations. He is a living legend and let us wish that more and more contributions would come out from his mighty pen, enriching our Malayalam in years to come.
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