Writer Sarah Joseph receives the City of Literature Award for Comprehensive Contribution to Literature from Culture Minister Saji Cherian in Kozhikode on Tuesday. Lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri and Mayor Beena Philip are seen. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
Culture Minister Saji Cherian said the concept of “creative economies” proposed by the state government as part of Vision 2031 will help create a better social structure and will create several new entrepreneurs and job potential in various sectors.
Inaugurating the City of Literature Day celebrations in Kozhikode on Tuesday, the Minister said that promotion of culture and literature was among the government’s priorities. The Ministry of Culture has undertaken a number of activities to promote the reading habit, provide better opportunities for writers and artists, and improve the functioning of cultural facilities.
On the occasion, the Minister also presented the “City of Literature” awards in various categories. Sarah Joseph received the award for Comprehensive Contribution to Literature, while Santhosh Echikkanam (Children’s Literature), R. Rajasree (Writer), E. Adarsh (Aadi) (Young Writer), J. Gopalakrishnan and AJ Thomas (Translation) were the other awardees.
Mayor Beena Philip presided over the event.
Kozhikode became part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in October 2023 when it became India’s first ‘City of Literature’. The city’s literary history dating back to the 14th century and the number of writers, scholars and publishers who have made Kozhikode their home have been taken into account. Apart from this, its literary infrastructure including libraries, its commitment to promoting literature and the city being a permanent venue for the Kerala Literature Festival were also taken into consideration.
The Kozhikode Corporation took an active interest in getting recognition and was led by the Kerala Institute of Local Government and the National Institute of Technology-Calicut.
In the two years since it gained recognition, Kozhikode has witnessed a number of cultural events that have kept the brand relevant. There are also plans to develop a literary circuit to promote cultural tourism in the region by connecting major literary sites.
Published – 04 Nov 2025 21:15 IST
