"Truth wins and time decides everything", Sreekumaran Thampy reacts to Vayalar Award

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sreekumaran Thampy said that the Vayalar award he received was a late award. He clarified that no one can beat true genius and that people are with him. 'It is people who decide what my poetry, autobiography and songs are', he added.

'At the age of thirty-one, it was decided to give me the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for poetry. But a great poet of Malayalam rejected it and said that 'he can be awarded after he learns all the letters'. He said that it was decided to give him the Vayalar award three or four times but deliberately did not give it. Srikumaran Thampy responded that he has no hesitation in saying this openly.

The award consists of Rs one lakh and a sculpture designed by Kanai Kunhiraman. The award will be presented to him on the death anniversary of Vayalar Ramavarma, which falls on October 27.

Thampy received this year’s Harivarasanam Award. The award carried a cash prize of Rs one lakh, a citation and a plaque. As part of the Ramayana Fest organized by Samarpana Charitable Trust, Thampy was awarded the Valmiki award. The award was one lakh rupees and a plaque. He is the recipient of the Sargaprabha Award instituted in the name of harmonicist, theatre and music director and singer Paraman Annamada, the BKS Vishwakalaratna Award instituted in memory of artist and philanthropist M P Raghu and his overall contributions to the field of art, and the P Kunhiraman Nair Award given as part of the Kanhangad Poetry Festival. He celebrated his 84th birthday in March last. After the death of his son Rajkumar, he did not celebrate any birthdays.

Thampy had earlier clarified to Kerala Kaumudi that he has no plans for a new film or songwriting. Sreekumaran Thampy, an engineering graduate, resigned from his job as an assistant town planner in Kozhikode in 1966 and entered the field of art and literature. He has composed more than 3000 film songs. Made 25 films. He directed 29 films and wrote screenplays for 85 films. The state government honoured him with the JC Daniel Award for his comprehensive contribution to cinema. He has received many awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Thamby was born on March 16 1940 at Haripad in Alappuzha and was active in literary writing since his school days. In 1966, he resigned from his job as an assistant planner in Kozhikode and continued in the field of arts and literature full-time. The first song composition was for the movie Kattumallika. He then composed more than 3000 songs for films and other media.

He has written scripts for 78 films. He has directed more than thirty films and produced 22 films on his own. He has produced and directed 13 television series. He has published seven collections of poetry, four novels, one collection of stories, two film books, and Hridaya Sarass with 1001 selected songs. Cinema Kanakkum Kavitha won the National Award for Best Cinematography. He received the Kerala government award for best song composition twice. His films Ganam and Mohiniyattam won the state award for films of artistic value and public popularity.

He has been a member of the General Council of Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy. He was the Vice President of the Malayalam Film Producers Association and the Malayalam Film Producers Association. He was a member of the National Feature Film Jury three times. He was the Chairman of the Kerala State Feature Film Jury.