Kerala Awards 2024: Sanju Samson, S Somanath among 8 to bag state’s highest honours
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government announced the prestigious 2024 Kerala Awards, celebrating the contributions of eight notable individuals. Modelled after the Padma Awards, these honours recognise excellence across various fields, with recipients including celebrated writer M K Sanoo, ISRO chairman S Somanath, and cricketer Sanju Samson.
Kerala Awards structure
Established in 2021, the Kerala Awards are divided into three categories—Kerala Jyothi, Kerala Prabha, and Kerala Sree—presented annually in honour of 'Keralappiravi,' Kerala’s formation day, observed on November 1.
Kerala Jyothi: The highest honour, awarded to a single recipient.
Kerala Prabha: The second-highest award, given to two individuals.
Kerala Sree: Awarded to five individuals, recognising contributions across a broad spectrum.
According to the government release, M K Sanoo will receive the Kerala Jyothi for his significant contributions to literature. ISRO chief Somanath and agricultural expert Bhuvaneshwari will be awarded the Kerala Prabha for achievements in Science and Engineering and Agriculture, respectively.
The Kerala Sree honours, presented to five individuals, will be awarded to:
- Kalamandalam Vimala Menon (Art)
- Dr. T K Jayakumar (Health)
- Narayana Bhattathiri (Calligraphy)
- Sanju Samson (Sports)
- Shaija Baby (Social Service, Asha Worker)
- V K Mathews (Industry-Commerce)
Selection process
Awardees undergo a rigorous three-tier selection process, beginning with a primary scrutiny committee, followed by a secondary scrutiny committee, and culminating in the final award committee. This committee includes prominent figures such as veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
PTI inputs