Thrissur: Acclaimed novelist and short-story writer Sarah Joseph bagged the 51st ‘Odakkuzhal’ literary award for her episodic novel ‘Budhini’. The 75-year-old author-activist will be honoured with Rs 35,000, a citation plaque and a felicitation letter.
It is based on the life of Budhni Manjhiyan, a Santal woman, who was invited by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959 to inaugurate a dam. Budhni, a labourer at the dam construction site, was garlanded by Nehru on the occasion, and the incident changed her life forever as the Santali society deemed that the act of being garlanded by Nehru made her his wife.
The writer, a native of Thrissur has bagged several awards including Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award and Cherukad Award. Aalahayude Penmakkal, Mattathi, Othappu, Aathi and Aalohari Anandam are some of her prominent works.
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The Odakkuzhal Award was established by the Guruvayurappan Trust in the memory of poet G Sankara Kurup. His poem titled ‘Odakkuzhal’ bagged the first Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award in India, in 1965.
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