Noted Tamil writer Perumal Murugan wins fifth ILF award

Tamil writer Perumal Murugan, who was forced to stop writing after he was bullied and threatened by Hindutva groups early this year, has won the ILF Samanvay Bhasha Samman, the prestigious annual award instituted by the India Habitat Centre to recognise “a litterateur-par-excellence’s contribution to Indian Literature”.

An official release said the well-known Tamil writer and poet would be honoured at the India Habitat Centre’s Indian Languages Festival Samanvay 2015 with the fifth ILF Samanvay Bhasha Samman.

Talking to The Indian Express, almost 10 months after he stopped writing, he said he would like to thank everyone for this award.

“I was informed about the award yesterday,” said Murugan.

Reacting to the award, he said the award for Mathorubhagan is a modern recognition given to the Tamil language.