THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that there are similarities in the works of great poet ONV Kurup and Odia novelist Pratibha Ray. He was inaugurating the award presentation ceremony of ONV Sahitya Award organized by ONV Cultural Academy on the occasion of ONV's 93rd birthday.

"Both of them who won the Jnanpith Award have depicted the miseries of women and stood for their upliftment. Both spoke for the environment as well. I am proud to present the award named after ONV, a staunch advocate of the progressive movement, to a writer who has brought her mother tongue Odia to the world," said the Chief Minister.

Adoor Gopalakrishnan, film director and president of the academy, presided over the function. Pratibha Ray was awarded the Literary Award by the Chief Minister for her original contribution to the field of literature. The award consists of three lakh rupees, a sculpture and a citation. Durga Prasad received the Yuva Sahitya Award, which includes Rs 50,000, a sculpture and a citation.

Poet Prabhavarma read the citation. Balan Nambiar, who made the sculpture, was given Ponnada by the Chief Minister. ONV's wife Sarojini Amma, family members, Aparna Rajeev, Cultural Academy office bearers Karamana Hari, G Rajmohan, EM Najeeb, MB Sanilkumar and others were present.

Kerala is like my second home: Pratibha Ray

Pratibha Ray, who received the award, said that Kerala, the birthplace of writers who have made unique contributions to the field of literature, is her second home. "ONV was a man among poets and a poet among men. He came to honour me at a function in the past. He came as a sign of respect for me despite having many physical disabilities. From there he went straight to the hospital. A writer has no free language, love is his language," said Pratibha Ray.