‘BHASHAKKORU DOLLAR AWARD’

‘BHASHAKKORU DOLLAR AWARD’

The award was instituted by the Kerala University, in association with the American Malayalee organisation Fokana, in 2007 as part of the celebrations of the golden jubilee of the Kerala Piravi. The award carries a sum of Rs 50,000 and a citation. Prof. B.Bhuvanendran, retired lecturer of Malayalam, has been selected for the fifth’Bhashakkoru Dolar’Award instituted jointly by the University of Kerala and KOKANA. The award is  for the best research thesis in Malayalam in ayear. It was Dr Bhuvanendran’s work “ Zachariayude Kathakal-Orud Padanam’ that fetched him  the award that comprises a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation. Dr Bhuvanendran got his doctorate from the University of Kerala and the thesis was prepared under the guidance of K.Prasannarajan. The three member judging committee had screened 12 doctoral theses submitted for the award. The award would be given away on January 12,2012 at the Fourth Estate Hall of the Thiruvananthapuram Pres Club Dr. Bhuvanendran retired in 2011 as associated Professor from the S.N College ,Kollam.

 Last  year(2010-2011) Bhashakkorudollar ( ADollar for my language) Award was presented to Dr. Smitha Gopal for her outstanding Ph.D. thesis, by Honorable M.A. Baby, Minister for Education and Arts, at the Kerala University Senate Hall, as a part of Golden Jubilee Celebration of Kerala Formation.  This award was the first of its kind and for the first time to the best research thesis with fifty thousand rupees and a certificate of merit. Another twenty five thousand rupees presented for publication of the thesis. The title of the thesis is “Adhunikiyathayute khatakangal Novelilum chithrakalayilum” (Modern ingredients in novels and paintings)’.‘Even among the educated, the decreasing number of people could write Malayalam is a concern to all of us‘ said M.A. Baby, Kerala Education Minister who presented the award. Today, many graduates cannot speak correct Malayalam with clarity and without mistake. It is clear from the many applications and complaints received every day. The influence of foreign languages especially English, reduces the interests in learning Malayalam and think that education means simply learning English, the minister commended. He congratulated and praised the ‘Dollar for my language’ project for doing great job for promoting and supporting this award.

Famous film director Shri Kumar Shahini, who was the keynote speaker, said that Malayalam language contains the essence of Indian Culture and Kerala dance and arts express the inner values and glories more than any other language. Many times, they are the answer for many questions and riddles that arise from the life style of people of Kerala and are the model for the rest of the world.Dr. Anirudhan who represented the American Malayalees at the celebration talked about a project to raise funds at the rate of one dollar a day for the year around. He said that the project could be extended to other countries by raising a Dhinar, a Dirham, a Pound, or a Euro for my language. Whenever American Malayalees get together, they collect the funds and are proud of this project and its continuous support and promotion of excellent students of Malayalam language.

Kerala University Vice- Chancellor, Dr. M.K. Ramachandran Nair. Who was the chairman of the Celebration, said that the University will award and support people who promote and use Malayalam as the medium of day to day communications and transactions.Pro-vice-chancellor Dr. V. Jayaprakash, Syndicate members Advocate A.A. Rasheed, Dr. A.R. Rajan, Sri. V.P. Prashanth, Dr. Smitha Gopal (Award winner), PRO S.D. Prins also spoke at the event.Dr. M. V. Pillai commended that this Award has made history and turned new leaves in the history promoting Malayalam language and Literature. Bhashakkorudollar project (A Dollar for My Language – Malayalam) was initiated at the 1992 Federation of Kerala Associations in North America, Inc (FOKANA) – Washington D. C, Convention by the visionary Dr. M. Velayaudhan Pillai. Other members of the project are Dr. Parthasarathy Pillai, Mr.Sunny Wycliffe (President & Convener, 1992 FOKANA Convention, respectively), Dr, M.Anirudhan, Mr. N.R.S Babu and Mr.S.D. Prins.  Members of the Bhashakkorudollar Award Committee are, Sri. M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Sri. ONV Kurup, Sri. Vishnunarayanan Namboodiri, Srimathy Sugatha Kumari, Mr. N.R.S Babu and Mr. S.D. Prins.Since July 1992 onwards, every year on November 1st, the day of Kerala Statehood, Bhashakkorudollar awarded scholarships to students who scored the highest mark in their High School graduation, B. A., M.A., in Malayalam Language and Literature.  We are hoping that others will emulate this to promote their Mother Tongue.

                                                    Prof. John Kurakar