CHENNAI: In a grand ceremony held last in Hyderabad recently, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy presented the Viswambhara Dr C Narayana Reddy National Literary Award to eminent Tamil writer and activist Sivasankari.

The event was organised by the Susheela Narayana Reddy Trust in celebration of the 93rd birthday of renowned Telugu poet and Jnanpith Awardee Padmabhushan C Narayana Reddy.

Sivasankari was honoured with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a shawl, a citation, and a memento. CM Revanth Reddy commended her extensive work as a writer and activist, highlighting the shared themes of progressive humanism in the works of both Narayana Reddy and Sivasankari.

In her acceptance speech, Sivasankari reflected on her association with Narayana Reddy, recalling her visit to his home for an interview for ‘Knit India through Literature’. She praised him as a great writer and poet, noting his profound appreciation for literature, and emphasised the importance of viewing life from multiple perspectives and staying true to the human essence in her writing.

The event was attended by notable personalities including film artist M Murali Mohan, Padmabhushan Shanta Biotech Chairman KI Vara Prasada Reddy, government advisor Narendar Reddy, government whip MLA Adi Srinivas, and members of Narayana Reddy’s family.