Monthly Archives: July 2014

Manju takes over as goodwill ambassador of organic farming

Agriculture, Green Initiatives & Environment

Thiruvananthapuram :

Manju Warrier, who got appointed as the goodwill ambassador of Kudumbashree’s organic farming initiative, has assured total support for the project. “It is a realization of my role in the film ?How Old Are You,” said the actor here on Friday. She was speaking after formally anointed as the goodwill ambassador by social justice minister Dr M K Muneer.

The state used to be self-sufficient in vegetables and fruits, but now awaits trucks carrying vegetables from other states. The state buys around 25 lakh tonnes of vegetables a year from other states, which incurs about Rs 1,100 crore expense, despite the fact that it is treated with poisonous chemical pesticides, she said.

Minister Muneer said, it is a great comeback for Manju Warrier. “Toxic free organic farming by Kudumbashree will be promoted with Manju Warrier’s support. Kudumbashree will also ensure that its organic farm produce is poison-free and certified through quality control checks before it reaches the market,” Muneer said.

Kudumbashree Mission executive director K B Valsalakumari said that 50,000 farm groups of women were involved in organic cultivation of paddy, plantain, tapioca and many vegetables in 47,000 hectare of leased land. “Kudumbashree has 16,000 master farmers and 1,000 farmer facilitation centres with Green Brigade or Karshikakarmasena to promote organic terrace farming in each household. Each grow bag with the seedling or sapling will be provided at Rs 80 and their services to nurture the plants will be available at Rs 100 per month,” she said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / July 05th, 2014

Art flourishes here despite odds

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education
The College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram has a great atmosphere, say its students. / Photo: S. Mahnisha / The Hindu
The College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram has a great atmosphere, say its students. / Photo: S. Mahnisha / The Hindu

The list of ‘lacks’ at the College of Fine Arts is long…

Chellappan was once Thiruvananthapuram’s most sought-after model. For a quarter century, until his suicide a few years ago, the old man, wearing a simple mundu and shirt, used to walk in daily past the gates of the College of Fine Arts, escorted by the students of the sculpture or the painting department.

He sat still for hours, as the students recreated the wrinkles on his face and the sagging of his chest in clay or on canvas. Even today, all around the campus, replicas of the man at varying ages stand, some of them overrun by creepers and others having turned green by the accumulated moss.

In this urban sprawl, only a few public spaces are still receptive to those like Chellappan and his replicas. And, it is inside this campus, marked by the colonial-era red and white structure, that education beyond the questions of ‘market value’ and ‘utility’ survives. Idealism, though battered and bruised, still lives here, even as just outside the gates, a multitude of people caught in the web of super productivity and deadlines buzz by.

It was in 1888 that Moolam Tirunal Rama Varma, the Travancore king, set up the ‘Maharaja’s School of Arts.’ It was known for its handicrafts training until it was upgraded to the College of Fine Arts in 1975, when C. Achutha Menon was the chief minister. But the contours of its present form emerged with the introduction of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) courses in 1979.

ChartKERALA17jul2014

At present though, the college has a confused existence under the Directorate of Technical Education, under which it came in 1957. Though the State’s premier art institution, it is still not accredited either by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

“The idea of an arts college and its requirements is lost on the officials of the Technical Education Department. This cannot be run like an engineering college, though a body exclusively to run arts colleges is too much to ask for here,” says one of the college professors.

Availability of funds

Technically, there is no paucity of funds for the college. But, these are mostly for purchase of materials. For the activities most vital to a humanities college, such as organising a workshop or putting out a publication or even getting international art journals for its library, there are zero funds.

The most ironic problem, though, is the absence of an exhibition gallery — somewhat akin to a chemistry course without a lab facility. Over the past 20 years, three foundation stones have been laid for a gallery complex besides the main building. Now, skeletons of a structure stand here, the contractor having abandoned work owing to losses. A few of the buildings, most notably in the Department of Sculpture, have leakages too.

“An exhibition space could provide a platform for students to display their work and continuously improve. It will also be a way to interact with the public,” says Ratheesh Mullangod, a third-year student of painting.

The only avenue for exhibition is the annual degree show, when the final year students display their work over the years.

“The situation here is connected to the nature of the city too. It does not have any proper art galleries or a vibrant arts culture with discussions and criticisms,” says P.K. Manoj, professor of painting.

Though the course here formulated by the likes of K.K. Hebbar is current even by present standards, it does need a little updating, with the introduction of video art and other contemporary trends in digital art. The number of faculty members is also less than required, with shortfalls in all courses, except applied arts.

“The theory classes need a lot of improvement. When I compare my notes with that of a student from the last decade, it all looks the same. Also, not all teachers interact with us freely or give us constructive criticism,” says a student of the college.

The lack of an archive facility to keep a record of all the students’ works has meant that many valuable works were lost forever after evaluation.

Other fine arts colleges in Kerala

Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikara

Government College of Fine Arts, Thrissur

But even amid all these long list of problems and complaints, the students cherish the atmosphere here, devoid of competitions and deadlines. To the outside world, they may be laidback and lazy, but art does flourish here, in all its glory.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities > Thiruvananthapuram / by S. R.  Praveen / Thiruvananthapuram – July 16th, 2014

Together for the Joy of Art

Arts,Culture & Entertainment

ArtKERALA16JUL2014

Thiruvananthapuram :

A spellbinding graffiti standing out from the wall of a popular eating joint in the city, is sure to catch your eyes in a jiffy. This is just one of the many creative endeavours of ‘Wax Apple’ – an art band comprising six enthusiastic youths who are bent on making the city look better with their graffiti. This creative crowd is all set to bring an essential change to the Kerala’s art scene with their striking creations.

“If music bands can be popular, why not an art band on the same lines?” asks Pavi Shankar, the leader of the team. And the team says in unison, “We design ‘uppu thottu karppooram vare’ (from salt to camphor),” (a Malayalam saying to denote that they are ready to undertake any kind of creative work that comes their way).

From designing logos and brochures to illustrations, digital paintings, caricatures, graffiti, animation story boards, layout designs, ads and online promotion of short films, documentaries and many others, there is nothing this team has not touched upon in the creative field.

The team has Pavi, an illustrator; Sidharth Jagadeesh, a visual effects (VFX) and animation expert; Pradeesh Raj, an art director; Amala Tessa Johney, a content writer-cum-poet and Shyam Kundarthala, an actor and Adarsh, who does the marketing.

“Though we have assigned a post to each one of us, we help each other out and work as a team. We also co-ordinate with ‘Unplugged Expressions’, a group which brings out ‘Naadan Pattu’ (folk songs),” says Pavi.

Some of them have done courses related to the work they do in ‘Wax Apple’ while others have chased their dream and joined in later.

Pavi Shankar and Pradeesh passed out from the Fine Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram. Amala has done BVMC from Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram. Shyam Kundarthala is a degree student at Mar Ivanios, Adarsh is a BTech degree holder and Siddharth has done a number of animation courses. They have been working together for the past four years.

Wax apple proudly remembers the time when they could bring moments of joy to the lives of children at RCC. The team painted two halls of the RCC children’s ward with their favourite cartoon characters.

“We also did works for Helping Hands Organisation (H2O), which works with differently-abled children. We have worked in painting camps arranged by H2O where we helped the children create paintings,” says Pavi Shankar.

The team got an opportunity to create a graffiti during the celebrations to mark the 125th year of Govt Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram.

“Art works don’t get much appreciation in Thiruvananthapuram when compared to Kochi though many say that the capital city is the best place to live in,” says Pavi.

The team feels artists do not get a free place to do work in the capital city. “We are often shooed away by moral police at Kanakakkunnu. People come there for walks, dance practice, yoga etc but when we try to use the space for creating art works, it becomes a problem,” Pavi says.

Their graffiti work would be quite familiar to the regulars of many eateries in the capital city such as Cafe Tapas and Green Pepper. They also do graffiti on bikes.

About their future graffiti works they say they are looking forward to do a work depicting the tradition and culture of Kerala on the walls of the underpass in Palayam. “We are waiting for an approval from the authorities concerned for this.”

Apart from the graffiti, they also does publicity work for documentaries and short films.

“We have done the publicity designs for ‘Beyond’ a short film by Arun A R to be screened at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK),” the team says.

“We also did the publicity designs for Cologne, another short film to be screened at IDSFFK this time,” says Siddharth. They have also designed some cinematic T-shirts for the IDSFFK which they plan to sell at the fest. The team proudly say that they also got a chance to do a poster for the Ladakh International Film Festival.

“We have also done paintings for film director Aashiq Abu’s OPM Dream Mill production house,” says Pavi.

“Often we don’t get fully paid for the work. After the work gets finished, people forget to pay for the job done. Many of us come to this field out of genuine interest, quitting other jobs. But this is also our only means to survive. So it hurts when we are not paid for the work done,” says the youngsters.

“I’ve been working with Wax Apple since two years. I plan to take up a job and assist them side by side since this alone cannot be a source of proper income now,” says Amala.

The design of Kerala University youth fest logo was also done by ‘Wax apple’ this time.“We are also planning to conduct an exhibition of our paintings,” Pavi says cheerfully.

Recently, they did the cover page of ‘Being Moon on 31st Cross road’, a book by Praveen P Gopinath.

“We are now doing a logo for Kerala Water and Education,” gushes the group.

The group is also working on a short film based on the accident in which a school van fell into the Parvathi Puthanar. “Instead of the van, we are making use of a model auto in the short film. We have set up the model of an auto for the same,” Adarsh says.

“Apart from remuneration, we find joy and satisfaction in the work we do.”

Wax Apple can be contacted at 9746354747, 9037526608,9633214047 or their website visited at http://www.waxapple.in.

They also have an FB page: https://www.facebook.com/waxappleofficial.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Gouri Prasannan / July 16th, 2014

Urdu writer Sulekha Hussain dead

Arts,Culture & Entertainment
Urdu novelist Sulekha Hussain
Urdu novelist Sulekha Hussain

South Indian Urdu novelist Sulekha Hussain passed away at her residence at Vaduthala, near here, on Tuesday. She was 85. She is survived by a daughter.

Born in an affluent Katchi Memon family at Mattancherry in 1930, she lost her parents at a very young age and was brought up by her grandfather, Jani Sait, an Urdu poet. She did her primary education at the Mattancherry Asia Bahi madrasa and studied Urdu and Arabic.

It was with her husband’s patronage that she began writing. Sulekha penned 27 novels and many short stories, all in Urdu. Some of her novels, Rah Akeli, Dishvar Huva Jeena, Ek Khyab Hakhikhath, andMarla he Kali were widely read in several North Indian cities such as Lucknow, Allahabad, New Delhi and Pakistan. Her most famous novel, Tharikhion Ke Baad, was translated into Malayalam by K. Ravi Varma in the 1980s.

Considering her contributions to Urdu literature, she was nominated to the committee awarding fellowships in Urdu language by the Union Cultural Affairs Ministry in 2012. Her son, Faraqu, passed away in 2010.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Staff Reporter / Kochi – July 16th, 2014

Film to showcase panchayat’s past glory

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All

Kochi :

Rayamangalam, one of the earliest panchayats in the district, has embarked on an innovative mission to teach its Generation Next – the history and culture of the village. And it is doing it the digital way.

The home to famous sons-of-soil like Kerala’s ninth chief minister P K Vasudevan Nair, noted communist P Govinda Pillai, and Dr D Babu Paul, former IAS officer and writer, Rayamangalam panchayat is proposing to make a documentary film, ‘My Village’, at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh.

The panchayat has decided to produce a 45-minute documentary to shed light on the historical and cultural significance of the village as many of its younger generation are ignorant of its past glory and the famous personalities who lived there,” said K K Mathukunju, panchayat president.

Rayamangalam, situated in Kunnathunadu taluk, was the first village to be declared the total pension panchayat in the state.

“The Kuruppampady market in our village was once famous for lemon grass oil for its quality and hill produce. But with passing of time and people switching over to other farming activities, it lagged behind other markets. The Lemon Grass Oil and General Marketing Co-Operative Society Ltd is the only society in the state for the development of lemon grass oil,” Mathukunju said.

The panchayat has invited tenders for producing the film. The 1,600-year-old St Mary’s cathedral in Kuruppampady, Koottumadam temple, Kallil temple which is a Jain temple will be featured big time in the film. One of the attractions is a rock statue of a woman, Velathipara – which is being protected in the regional poultry farm.

The controversial plywood factories and the pollution caused by them will also be highlighted. There are 95 plywood factories, 12 crusher units and around 100 wood factories functioning in the panchayat, says Mathukunju.

Well-known ancestral homes in the village, how they came into existence and interesting anecdotes of former panchayat presidents will also be featured in the documentary.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kochi / by T C Sreemol, TNN / July 06th, 2014

Researchers try aquaponics to woo new-generation

Agriculture, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, Science & Technology

Mallapuram : 

In an attempt to attract new generation farmers, the Agricultural Research Centre of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) at Anakkayam near here has decided to try its hand at aquaponics – an ancient method of farming vegetables and fishes together practised by ethnic groups in Mexico and China.

The centre has successfully cultivated tomatoes, cabbages, cauliflower, chilli and paddy via the soil-free method in which fish excreta is used as fertilizer. In fact, it began a second round of cultivation two weeks ago. Aquaponics is a portmanteau of words aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil).

Researchers at the centre used 12 units made of PVC pipes in which vegetables are grown. The units are placed inside a polyhouse situated close to a pond that holds about 3,000 varieties of fishes. The saplings or seeds are planted in small disposable fibre vessels filled with sponge-like pith particles of coconut husk. The vessels are then placed on small holes in PVS pipes. Water from the pond, carrying fish excrement is always circulated through the pipes and the plants grow in a hydroponic bath of flowing water enriched with minerals.

Farm officer at the centre E Jubail said the method is ideal for farming in populated areas and is cost effective. “No chemical fertilizers are used in the method as it would kill the fishes. This ensures that the crops are organic,” he said, adding that the method does not call for the use of pesticides and consumes less water compared to traditiional farming methods.

The plan is to introduce the method to farmers and visitors at the centre besides providing provide assistance to set up the system at their farmhouses.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kozhikode / by T P Nijish, TNN / July 02nd, 2014

Two-year-old gets liver transplant

Amazing Feats, Records, All, Science & Technology

A two-year-old child, suffering from a complex liver disease, has a new shot at life, thanks to a life-saving transplant performed on her by a team of doctors at the Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) here.

Sreelekshmi, born to her parents after 18 years of marriage, was transplanted with a portion of the liver donated by her father himself. The family hails from Shoranur, Palakkad.

Sreelekshmi’s liver disease began in infancy and she was diagnosed with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, a rare autosomal recessive disorder of the liver (Though both parents carry a copy of faulty genes, they remain carriers only while the condition manifests in the offspring). She had been undergoing treatment in Kochi and came to KIMS when her condition worsened and a liver transplant emerged as the only option to save her.

Doctors at KIMS said that the child’s asthma was something that aggravated the complexity of the transplant. The father’s liver was found to be more compatible for the child.

Liver transplants in children who weigh less than 10 kg are rarely successful but Sreelekshmi, who weighed just 7.5 kg, beat all odds and came through the surgery well.

She was ready to be discharged, according to a statement issued by KIMS.

The transplant was done by a team of doctors at KIMS, led by Venugopal and Shabeer Ali, liver transplant surgeons, and other specialists.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thirvananthapuram / by Special Correspondent / Thirvananthapuram – July 09th, 2014

Proposal for country’s first elephant hospital in Kerala

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature, Records, All
Union Minister for Environment and Forest Prakash Javadekar. File photo
Union Minister for Environment and Forest Prakash Javadekar. File photo

Thrissur:

Groups of elephant lovers have submitted a proposal to the central government to set up the country’s first elephant hospital and a diagnostic laboratory here.

The proposal was submitted this month to Minister of Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar when he visited the Sree Krishna Temple in Guruvayoor near here.

Elephant veterinarian Jacob Cheeran said that such a hospital would be the first of its kind in the country. He said the medical facility was necessary as the majority of the over 500 captive elephants in Kerala will soon be over 50 years of age.

“The proposal suggests a treatment facility for 10 elephants at a time which is required to treat elephants affected by chronic diseases like foot rot and so on.” Cheeran said.

“The diagnostic laboratory is to support the field veterinarians in early diagnosis of specific diseases like tuberculosis and infections in elephants,” he added.

Temple authorities in Thiruvambady, Paramekkavu and Guruvayoor and the Kerala State Elephant Owners Multipurpose Cooperative Society joined hands to support the proposal.

The proposal also suggests that both the hospital and the laboratory should be located on a five acre plot of land at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University campus at Mannuthy near here.

Thrissur district has the maximum number of captive elephants in Kerala, with the famed Guruvayoor temple alone having 59 elephants.

Cheeran said that in recent years there has been a drastic decline in the number of captive elephants in Kerala due to increased death rate of the elephants and the restrictions in import of captive elephants from the north-eastern states.

The elephant hospital is expected to cost Rs.10 crore including the running costs for three years.

“Even though many field veterinarians are engaged in treating elephants in almost all districts in Kerala, there is no centralised specialist healthcare support,” Cheeran said.

” Since Thrissur is centrally located, transporting sick elephants from any place in the state is also easy,” added Cheeran, who has been to elephant hospitals in Thailand and other parts of the world.

State Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar said that they will do their bit to take up the proposal with the central government.

source: http://www.beta.english.manoramaonline.com / ManoramaOnline / Home> News> Kerala / by The Correspondent / Thursday – July 10th, 2014

Laser Park set for inauguration

Agriculture, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature
The Greater Cochin Development Authority’s Laser Park at Rajendra Maidan to be inaugurated in August.— Photo: Vipin Chandran
The Greater Cochin Development Authority’s Laser Park at Rajendra Maidan to be inaugurated in August.— Photo: Vipin Chandran

Mayor cries unauthorised construction

As the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) is all set to inaugurate its laser show project at Rajendra Maidan, the Kochi Corporation has termed it an unauthorised construction.

N. Venugopal, GCDA chairman, said that the project would be inaugurated in the last week of August.

At the same time, Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany said that the Kochi Corporation has not issued permission for setting up the Laser Park at Rajendra Maidan.

For any project to be approved by the Kochi Corporation, the project proponent should submit the documents pertaining to the ownership of the land along with the project details. In this case, the GCDA has not produced any documents to prove the ownership of the land, he said. The Authority has not obtained the permission from the Kochi Corporation, he asserted.

At the same time, Mr. Venugopal maintained that the Authority had submitted the documents pertaining to the ownership of the land. The Government had assigned the land to the Authority earlier. The Authority proceeded with the work after the expiry of the mandatory time for clearing the application. The municipal laws say that one can proceed with the work if the local body fails to respond within a specific time, Mr. Venugopal said.

An inspection by the Town Planning Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation had earlier revealed that the Authority was proceeding without the mandatory permission from the local body. Hence, it was a case of unauthorised construction, said a member of the Committee. Meanwhile, the CPI (M) leadership in the Corporation council said that it will fight any move to usurp the public space, especially Rajendra Maidan.

K.N. Sunilkumar, the Parliamentary Party secretary of the CPI (M), said that the party was for protecting the public spaces in the city. The Kochi Mayor had earlier assured the council that all documents pertaining to the project will be placed before the council. Mr. Venugopal maintained that the free access to the site would not be curbed and the laser show will be held only after 8 p.m., the closing time of the park.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News>  Cities> Kochi / by  K. S. Sudhi / Kochi – July 11th, 2014

Seven, Including Five-yr-old,Selected for Bravery Awards

Amazing Feats, Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features
Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan
Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram :

Seven boys, including a five-year-old who rescued his younger sister from drowning and a sixth standard student whose presence of mind saved the life of his ten-month-old brother, have been selected for the bravery awards instituted by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare for the year 2013.

The winners are Muneer Mohammed, 14, of Manippuzha, Kottayam; Shalef Shaji, 9, of Panambukad, Ernakulam; Akhil Biju, 9, Subin Mathew, 10, and Yadukrishnan V S, 13 of Erumeli, Kottayam; Girikrishna, 5, of Kumarakom, Kottayam; and Abhaykrishnan, 11, of Kowdiar in Thiruvananthapuram. Social Justice Minister M K Muneer announced the winners here on Thursday.

Muneer Mohammed won the award for saving the life of Immanuel aka Appu, 72, who was grievously injured in a road accident on the Sabarimala route. When motorists ignored the accident victim, Muneer had run to the middle of the road, waved down a vehicle and rushed Immanuel to hospital. This tenth standard student of St Thomas High School, Erumeli, is the son of Mohammed and Aseena of Venkurinji Keecheri Purayidom, Manippuzha.

Shalef Shaji, a fourth standard student, was selected for the award for saving the life of Alna, the four-year-old daughter of Antony, Panambukad Veliyil, who fell into the backwater while playing with her friends. Shalef had jumped in and holding on to the ropes of a stake net, swum up to Alna and rescued her.

Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan
Abhaykrishnan, Akhil Biju, Girikrishna, Muneer Mohammed, Shalef Shaji, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan

Shalef is a student of the St Joseph’s LP School, Panambukad.

Akhil Biju, Subin Mathew and Yadukrishnan V S saved Kalimuthu, 39, who got trapped in an eddy while bathing in the river.  Ten-year-old Akhil jumped in first, but he couldn’t get a hold on Kalimuthu. Yadu dived in next and they managed to reach the drowning man. Subin threw them a towel, and grabbing it, the boys managed a miraculous rescue. All three are sons of daily-wage labourers.

Akhil is the son of Biju and Lekha of Kannimala Puthuvelil and is a sixth standard student of St James UP School, Kannimala, Erumeli. Subin, who is his schoolmate, is the son of Mathew and Sheeba of Kattupurachakal House, Kannimala.  Yadukrishnan is the younger son of Sasidharan Nair and Sajini of Vattaparmbil House, and is a ninth standard student of St Joseph’s High School, Kannimala. He is also a recipient of the President’s award for bravery in 2013.

Girikrishna, aged 5, won the award for saving his four-year-old sister Gowri from drowning in a canal near their home. Although he could not swim, he jumped in and dragged young Gowri to the bank. Girikrishna is the son of Satheesh and Babitha of Peedikachira, Kumarakom. He is a first standard student of SKM Public School.

Abhaykrishnan of Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram, won the award for saving the life of his ten-month-old brother Adidev.

A huge tree had fallen on to their home in the heavy rain, and their mother, seeing the roof crashing down, tried to shield them with her body. But she collapsed, hit on the head by falling tiles and wood. Abhaykrishnan frantically dragged Adidev and sought cover under a cot.

All three were dragged out of the debris by the neighbours. Abhaykrishnan is the son of Sreenivasan, who is personal assistant to the Chief Secretary, and Sunanda. The award carries Rs 10,000 in cash, a plaque and certificate.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Express News Service / July 11th, 2014