KOCHI: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Monday handed over the Priyadarshini Literary Award, instituted by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), to veteran Malayalam writer and critic Dr M. Leelavathy, turning a brief visit to Kochi into a moment rich with political symbolism and literary resonance.
Calling it a “tremendous honour” to participate in the ceremony, LoP Rahul Gandhi described the 98-year-old scholar as “an icon not just for Kerala, but for the country.”
He spoke with admiration of Leelavathy’s discipline and intellectual vitality, noting that she begins her day at 3 a.m., reads extensively and continues to write.