CHENNAI, Apr 1: Writers who write with a zeal for social commitment are rare and prolific writer Sivasankari, honoured with ‘Saraswati Samman’ award, fits the bill, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday.
Words, whether in the form of writing or speech, are powerful medium of expression that impact life bringing about positive change, she said. Though there are writers who incite people or spread hatred, Sivasankari is a writer who has penned for a social cause, the Union minister added.
“Whether it was portraying the scenes from the drug den, alcoholism or the insurgency, Sivasankari preferred to write after obtaining first hand information and she definitely was not among the genre of writers who wrote from their comfort zones,” Sitharaman said felicitating Sivasankari for receiving the award.
As a shrewd writer, she has the ability to see all aspects of life and hence her depiction in her novels and biographies was realistic, the Finance Minister said lauding the novelist.
Hers was a faithful depiction and true to life representation, Sivasankari said. “There’s no exaggeration or lies in my work. My characters are faithful representation,” the 80-year-old writer, who has written 36 novels, 48 novellas, 150 short stories besides 15 travelogues, said in her acceptance speech.
Her literary contribution in a career spanning half-a-century is widely recognised. Some of her works have been translated into several Indian languages like English, Japanese and Ukrainian. Her greatest contribution to Indian literature is her four-volume “Knit India Through Literature” featuring the perspectives of literary giants in 18 languages.
The Chennai-based writer, also a former exponent of Bharatanatyam, is the recipient of the prestigious ‘Saraswati Samman’ award for 2022 for her 2019 memoir ‘Surya Vamsam’. This K K Birla Foundation award comes with a purse of Rs 15 lakh, a plaque and a citation.
Industrialists V G Santhosam, Nalli Kuppuswami, M Murali, former legislator of Mylapore R Natraj and The Duchess Club president Nina Reddy were among those who felicitated Sivasankari at a function held here under the aegis of Vanavil Cultural Centre and The Duchess Club. (PTI)
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