Nikkei Asia Prize for 'Kotiyattam' exponent Gopal Venu

Thiruvananthapuram, May 7 (UNI) Eminent 'Kutiyattam' exponent Gopal Venu was chosen for prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize for 2007, in recognition to his contributions for preservation and revitalisation of the art.

The award, instituted by Japan's leading publishing house Nikkei Inc, would carry a cash prize of three million Japanese Yen (about Rs 10.30 lakh) and citation, he said in a press conference here.

Stating the award as an honor for Kutiyattam, Mr Venu said the amount would be spent for promotion of the art form and related researches and studies.

Ealrier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (1997), Infosys founder N R Narayanmurthy (2001) and women's right campaigner and publisher Urvashi Bhutalia (2003) had won the award, instituted in 1996.

Kutiyattam, Kerala's classical sanscrit theater, had a 2000-year history and Recognised by the UNESCO as an "oral and intangible human heritage", he said.

Venu, the Director of art school 'Natana Kairali' at Irinjalakkuda in Thrissur district was considered an authority on 'Kutiyattam' and had taken his troupe to hundreds of stages in the country and abroad.

UNI