Moily gets Moortidevi Award for Shree Ramayana Mahanveshanam

New Delhi, Mar 18 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will present the prestigious Moortidevi Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith to Union Minister of Law and Justice Veerappa Moily for his outstanding work on Shri Ramayan Mahanveshanam, here today.

An established writer in Kannada, Moily has authored, to date, four novels, three collections of poetry, three plays, collections of essays, besides his five-volume magnum opus "Shri Ramayana Mahanveshanam".

He was also awarded Second Father Kamil Bulke Ramayana International Award 2007. e is now penning another epic poem on Draupadi titled 'Shrimudi Parikramanam' which is likely to be published within a year.

His two volumes of 'Musings On India' is a collection of essays and lectures on Indian history, culture, and society.

He has launched a Magna-Opus-Unleashing India in five Volumes. First two volumes 'Road Map for Agrarian Wealth Creation' and the second the 'Water-Elixir of Life' have already been published.

On of his major novels, 'Kotta', has been produced as a telefilms in both Kannada and Hindi, directed by M.S.Sathyu.

His novels 'Kotta and 'Tembrare' have been translated into Hindi, English, and many other Indian languages; parts of his ambitious epic have been translated into Hindi and Tamil. The English translation of the entire work is currently in the press.

As a writer, Moily is noted for his concern for the marginalized classes, authenticity of depiction, and skilful craftsmanship. His major works are always preceded by extensive research and discussion with concerned experts. Hence his works have a distinct place of their own in Kannada.

Many awards and honours have come seeking him, a few of which are: 'Al Ameen Sadbhavana Award'(2000), 'Devaraja Urs Prashasti (2001), 'Aryabhata Award'(2001), and 'Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Award (2002). Honorary Doctorate Degrees by Mangalore University (2009) and Russian Academy and National Law School University, Hyderabad have been bestowed on him.

Moily will get the 21st edition of the Moortidevi Award, while the 20th edition of the award goes to Krishna Bihari Mishra for Kalpataru ke Utsav Leela.

Moily and Mishra were earlier chosen unanimously for the honour at a meeting of the award selection board held under the chairmanship of T N Chaturvedi.

The selection committee comprised former Sahitya Akademi secretary K Satchidanandan, Jnanpith awardee Sanskrit scholar Satyavarat Shastri, former Moortidevi Award winning Oriya writer Pratibha Ray, eminent linguist Vrishabha Prasad Jain, Sahu Akhilesh Jain and Ravindra Kalia.

The Hindi version of Moily's book has been brought out by Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd, and is translated from Kannada by Pradhan Gurudatta. (ANI)