Sathayaraj, Tirumavalavan conferred Periyar, Ambedkar awards

Chennai, Jan 8 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today presented the Periyar award for actor Sathyaraj and Dr Ambedkar Award to Dalit leader Thol Thirumavalavan.

Sathyaraj was chosen for the award as he is donning the role of social reformer 'Periyar' E V Ramasamy in a film portraying the Rationalist leader's life, Sathyaraj was donning the role in the film Periyar' without receiving any payment. The State Government has given a grant of Rs 95 lakh for producing the film, in which actor Kushboo plays the role of Maniyammai, the second wife of Periyar.

Mr Karunanidhi also presented the Ambedkar award to Dalit Panthers of India(DPI) General Secretary Thol Thirumavalavan, at an impressive function held here this evening.

While eminent Tamil Scholar K Chellapan was conferred with the Paavendhar Bharathidasan award, named after poet Bharathidasan, who had penned poems on Tamil nationalist themes and policies of the Dravidian movement, writer K Thirunavukkarasu was presented the Thiru Vi Ka award named after trade union leader and Tamil scholar Thiru Vi Kalayanasundaranar.

The Thiruvalluvar award, instituted in memory of Saint Poet Thiruvalluvar, was presented to Dr K P Aravanan, Arignar Anna award to former State Minister R M Veerappan, Kamaraj award to former MLA Mrs A S Ponnammal and Mahakavi Bharathiyar award to Congress leader Tamizharuvi Manian.

All the award carried a citation and Rs one lakh cash.

UNI