Congress leader Rahul Gandhi presents the Priyadarshani Literary Award to critic M. Leelavatha at her residence in Thrikkakara on Monday (January 19, 2025). | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Congress President Rahul Gandhi said that great nations are not built on silence but on people expressing their views and fighting for them.
“All over the country we see people who think and believe something but don’t have the courage to say it,” he said after presenting the Priyadarshini Literary Award organized by Priyadarshini Publications under the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) to critic M. Leelvathy at her residence in Thrikkakara on Monday.
“There is also an idea of greed embedded in the culture of silence. It doesn’t matter what happens as long as I get what I need. I don’t need to say anything. I can watch people being humiliated and killed. That’s the culture of greed,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi praised Mrs. Leelvathy for being simple and humble. “We are very proud of you for the wisdom you have given to people,” he said.
In her reply, she described Indira Gandhi as the one who sacrificed her life to protect secularism in the country. “She valued secularism more than her life. Her love and respect for the common people, her determination to eradicate poverty and uplift the downtrodden and her courage and conviction above all made me adore her,” she said.
She said those who ridiculed the Gandhi family in the political arena did not consider the fact that two of its members had become martyrs while serving the nation. Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi’s son and former prime minister, inherited her traits. “He promoted women from various sections to positions of power. When he was prime minister, he offered more seats to women in elections. Even I was offered one, though I could not accept it due to personal reasons,” she recalled.
Ms. Leelvathy pointed out that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi inherited the traits of their father and grandmother. “I wish that in the near future both of them would be put in stronger positions to serve the nation more effectively. I hope that the destiny of India will be shaped in their hands. It was a coincidence that I could receive the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award from Mrs. Gandhi and the Priyadarshini Award from my grandson in 1981,” she said today.
She donated the ₹1 lakh prize money she received as part of the award to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
Published – 19 Jan 2026 22:57 IST
