Award presented to poet

MALAPPURAM: Poet Manambur Rajan Babu was presented the V.C. Balakrishna Panicker Memorial Award for excellence at a function at Vengara, near here, on Sunday. Poet Alankode Leelakrishnan gave away the award, marking the 122nd birthday celebrations of Panicker, Malayalam poet who died at the age of 23.



Mr. Leelakrishnan described Panicker as a poet and social reformer. He said civilisation and culture were the sum of virtues and progress mankind had achieved through ages. �The death-knell of poetry would mean the death-knell of human values and virtues,� he said.



Rasheed Parappanangadi, chairman of the organising committee, presided over the function. E.K. Kunhali, Oorakam grama panchayat president, inaugurated the commemorative meet.