‘Refusing Padma awards is an insult to nation’

Stating that Padma awards were a great honour bestowed upon citizens, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, who was conferred the Padma Bhushan this year, said denial of titles offered by the Centre amounted to an insult to the nation.

Addressing a meet-the-Press programme here, the noted Kathakali exponent, 82-year-old Nair said he was literally ‘startled to read his name among the reciepents’, as it was a ‘great honour’.

Eminent Malayalam critic Sukumar Azheekode had rejected the Padma Shri conferred upon him recently.

Nair said the Padma Bhushan was also an honour for the great performing art of Kathakali. The artist said he started practising it at the age of 12 and had portrayed several characters.

Nair said it was essential to include Kathakali in the syllabus in high school classes to make it a more popular art form.

He said young people were not showing interest in learning the art form as it needed dedicated effort for about six to eight years.

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