Poet and lyricist Rafeeq Ahamed bags Padmaprabha Award

Kalpetta: Rafeeq Ahamed, esteemed poet and lyricist, has bagged this year’s Padmaprabha Award.

The Padmaprabha Literary Award, celebrating exceptional contributions to Malayalam literature, is established by the Padmaprabha Foundation. A distinguished accolade within the Malayalam literary sphere, it commemorates the legacy of freedom fighter and socialist Padmaprabha.

The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a 'gem'-adorned plaque featuring Padmaragam (Ruby), and a citation. The selection committee, chaired by renowned novelist and writer N.S Madhavan, alongside poet and prose writer Kalpetta Narayanan and critic S Saradakutty, chose the recipient, as announced by Padmaprabha Trust chairman M.V Shreyams Kumar.

The committee lauded Rafeeq Ahamed as a poet who vividly portrays the essence of life in Kerala through Malayalam poetry. His poetic vision transcends from a human-centric perspective to an ecological understanding of the interplay between humanity and nature, with his works displaying a keen observation of contemporary life. The panel also commended Ahamed for catalysing a personal renaissance in both poetry and film songs.

Hailing from Akkikavu, Thrissur, Rafeeq Ahamed is an influential figure in contemporary poetry and film music. His illustrious career includes accolades such as the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and the Kerala State Film Award, garnered on six occasions.