Noted writer M. Mukundan has said that open discussions are the only means to find solutions to any issue. “In this world of uncertainties, we should uphold the dream of writer Victor Hugo of the whole world being one big family. Only in a family do we find the kind of love, tolerance and cooperation that is most desirable in this world”, he said hinting at the ongoing war in West Asia, inaugurating the Poorna Cultural Festival in Kozhikode on November 10.
The first literary festival in Kozhikode after the city attained the ‘UNESCO City of Literature’ tag is being held in memory of N.E. Balakrishna Marar, the founder of the TBS and the Poorna Publications.
Mr. Mukundan presented the Poorna Uroob Novel Award to ‘Kurudan Mala’ by Shahul Hameed K.T and the R. Ramachandran poetry award to the anthology ‘Sathyamayum Lokame’ by T.P. Vinod. Critic M.M. Basheer released the two books under the Poorna Novel Vasantham programme which included ‘Kurudan Mala’, which bagged the first prize in the novel competition and hence the winner of the Uroob award, besides ‘Aadu Katha’ by M.V.Santhosh, that bagged the second prize from among 150 entries received for the competition.
MLA Thottathil Raveendran, in his presidential address, said that Balakrishna Marar was a personality that the new generation could emulate. Recalling Marar’s life as a bookseller on a bicycle to a well-known publisher in the last 50 years, Mr. Raveendran said that he showed how one can succeed in life with hard work.
Writer Alankode Leelakrishnan, Managing Partner of Poorna Publications N.E. Manohar, Festival Director and Consultant Editor of Poorna Publications K. Sreekumar spoke on the occasion. The two-day cultural festival features several sessions on various literary topics.
Writer Sara Joseph will inaugurate the N.E. Balakrishna Marar commemoration meeting at 10.45 a.m. on Saturday. She will also present the ‘comprehensive contribution’ award to Sashi Tarur, MP. The latter would later deliver the Marar memorial lecture on the topic ‘The strength of the word’. Mayor Beena Philip will preside over the valedictory ceremony later in which Goa Governor P.S.Sreedharan Pillai will present the N.E.Balakrishna Marar memorial voluntary service award to ‘Solace’, a Thrissur based organisation.
