They hogged the limelight in 2015...

The year 2015 saw the rise of stars in several fields. While a few like Sreesanth got a new lease of life and came back stronger than ever, actor Nivin Pauly touched new heights by winning a State Award and starring in the blockbuster of the year. Rubbing shoulders with them were civil servants who pioneered novel schemes and who stood their grounds despite resistance.Kochi Times highlights what made them newsmakers of 2015.
Sreesanth, Cricketer
The State’s own cricketer fell from grace after he was accused of match-fixing in the country’s premier T20 championship. However, he rose from the ashes after being cleared of all charges by a trial court in Delhi marking the end of his two year long struggle. While he still faces a life ban by the country’s cricket control board, the cricketer has created another avenue to showcase his talent. He is part of the Bollywood film Cabaret and has also signed a multi-lingual movie in the South.
Nivin Pauly, Actor
Nivin kick-started this year with Mollywood’s first hit of 2015 Oru Vadakkan Selfie. He followed it up with Premam, which is considered one of the top grossers in the history of Malayalam cinema. The joy tripled when the actor won the State Award for best actor for his role in 1983. His role in Premam catapulted him to the A list of Mollywood and his character George became a trendsetter of sorts for the youth in Kerala. It is a testament of his popularity, that despite his last release being in May, the actor is still talked about.
T V Anupama, Food Safety Commissioner
She made headlines for taking a strong stand against a popular food brand. Anupama ordered a ban on manufacture, storage and distribution of three of their flagship products citing adulteration using starch. Her commendable efforts to restrict the entry of vegetables and fruits from other States that were tested high on pesticides made her a household-name. While she faced opposition for her efforts, an online movement #ISupportAnupamaIAS was started and gained momentum.
Sajan Prakash, Athlete
Dubbed as India’s Michael Phelps, 22-year-old swimming star Sajan Prakash created history by winning six gold and three silver medals at the National Games this year. The Idukki athlete became a swimming sensation and showed his range when he set the national record for the 200 meter butterfly stroke and 1500 meter freestyle events. He also took home the Best Male Athlete title of the Games.
Prasanth Nair, Kozhikode Collector
Kozhikode collector Prasanth Nair became popular for employing technology effectively to connect with the people and address their issues. He initiated popular campaigns such as Operation Sulaimani — a programme to offer food for needy and the mobile application Collector Kozhikode — an app that helps people access various services at the Collectorate. These made him easily approachable and he became a darling of the masses both online and offline. His initiative, the Collector’s Internship programme in IIM Kozhikode, was another milestone that appealed to the student community.