Noted Malayalam poet Prabha Varma has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2023. His work 'Roudra Sathwikam', a novel in verse won the award. It deals with the perennial conflict that exists between art and power.
The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, a memento and a citation. A Malayalam work is winning the award after 12 years. Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry in any of the 22 languages of India listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
The award instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991 is recognised as the "most prestigious and the highest literary award in the country", the statement issued by the organisation on Monday said. The selection for the award was made by a high-level committee - 'chayan parishad' - headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, it said.
"Books published between 2013 and 2022 were intensively discussed by 22 language committees and they recommended one book each from 22 languages to five 'kshetra samities' (regional committees). Of the 22 books, this year, five books were recommended by the 'kshetra samities' to the 'chayan parishad'," the foundation said.
These were 'Aakhri Sawariyaan (Urdu novel) by Syed Mohd Ashraf, Mita-Bhas Samagra (Assamese poetry) by Nagen Saikia, Posra (Santhali novel) by Gangadhar Hansda, Banaras Diary (Gujarati poetry) by Harish Meenashru and Roudra Sathwikam (Malayalam poems) by Varma.
One of the most important voices of contemporary Malayalam literature, 64-year-old Varma's poems reflect a confluence of tradition and modernity, according to the statement. His novel 'Roudra Sathwikam' in poetic verses probes the conflict between power and politics, individual and state, art and power in a unique manner, it said.
Varma is the recipient of more than 70 awards, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, 'Rajath Kamal' - the National Film Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan congratulated Varma on being chosen for the 'Saraswati Samman'.
"Hearty congratulations to Shri Prabha Varma, renowned Malayalam poet on being chosen for the prestigious Saraswati Samman-2023. The award which recognises his devotion to poetry brings great pride to Malayalam literature. May his sublime poetic works continue to enrich Malayalam and Indian literature," he said on X (formerly Twitter)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also congratulated the poet on winning the award, saying it is a proud moment for the state. Varma is the media secretary to the chief minister.
(With inputs from PTI)