Tamil writer and filmmaker Lakshmi Saravana Kumar’s novel Kaanakan, which depicts the life of Paliar tribe in the Western Ghats and hunting practices, has won the Sahitya Akademi’s Yuva Puraskar award for 2016.
“It deals with the Paliar tribes’ struggle against ganja plantations and the attempt to appropriate their land for the purpose in the 1980s,” said Mr. Saravana Kumar, who has penned three novels and six short stories and a poetry collection.
An associate of director, Vasanthabalan, Saravana Kumar, who had worked with him Kaaviya Thalaivan and Aravaan, is now working on his own film.
Kaanakan is Thirumangalam-based Saravanakumar’s the second novel. His first novel is Uppu Naaigal and his latest is Neelappadam .
“Kaankan deals with hunting and the ethics of hunting. It starts with hunting of a tiger and ends with tiger hunting men. The richness of a forest is always judged by the presence of tiger. There are some ethics when it comes to hunting. Females are spared by hunters,” said 31-year-old Saravana Kumar.
Tamil writer and publisher Kuzha. Kathiresan has won the Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his contribution to children’s literature. Born in Royavaram in Pudukottai district, Mr. Kathiresan was trained in by Azha. Valliappa, a writer known for his contribution to children literature.
Simple lines with good messages are the hallmark of Mr Kathiresan’s works. He is running Inthinai Pathipagam, which published most of the works of T. Janakiraman and other great writers.
“I have written 4,000 poems and some of them were prescribed for schoolchildren in the State and Singapore,” said Mr. Kathiresan.
It deals with Paliar tribes’ struggle against bid to appropriate their land for ganja cultivation
