The prestigious Kusumagraj Rashtriya Bhasha Sahitya Puraskar, instituted by the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), will be conferred on Malayalee poet K Satchidanandan.
The award is given to eminent writers for their contribution to Indian literature. This year, the Kusumagraj Chair of the varsity has honoured K Satchidanandan for his contributions to Malayalam poetry and his translations of poems from various languages, including international ones.
The award, which includes a cash prize of Rs1 lakh, a memento and a citation, will be presented to K Satchidanandan at a function at YCMOU, Nashik, on February 28, 2012 — the birth anniversary of Jnanpith award winner, late VV Shirvadkar alias Kavi Kusumagraj.
His works have been translated in many foreign languages, including French, Italian, German, Arabic, Chinese and Spanish.
His first collection of poems, Anchu Suryan (Five Suns), was published in 1970, and is considered a landmark in Malayalee literature.
His collections of poems — ‘Evannekudi Malyyalam’ and ‘Sakhayngal’ —are also popular. He is credited with the translations of 19 foreign and Indian poems.
He has represented India at 21 international poetry festivals. He is well-known in Poland and Italy for his works. His name had featured in the probable list of nominees for the Nobel Prize in 2011.
The award function will be presided over by Dr Ashok Vajapayee, director of Kala Academy, New Delhi, in the presence of YCMOU vice chancellor Dr Krishnakumar.
The first award was presented to eminent litterateur Chandrakant Devtale last year.
