Prominent Tamil writer and poet Kanimozhi Karunanidhi was conferred the ‘For the Sake of Honour’ award by the Rotary Club of Chennai Samudra for her ‘humanist approach to women’s issues, sensitive poetry and simplicity in living.’ Lauding the young littérateur for her contribution to Tamil literature and commitment to women’s empowerment, the Rotary citation said Kanimozhi “is not only a good poet but also a good human.†Though hailing from a “very good background†(as the daughter of chief minister M. Karunanidhi), she shied away from sophistication and “always remained simple,†it said.
Accepting the award, Kanimozhi said she was happy getting the recognition from a women’s club. Stressing that the status of women needed to improve a great deal in India, she said she was striving for women’s empowerment through her poems. “I do not need to apologise for being a feminist,†she said.
She also made a reference to all the speakers addressing the audience in English and said it would have been apt if they had used Tamil instead, since the function had been organised for according recognition to her Tamil poetry. Â
“I am not saying so out because of my father’s insistence on the use of Tamil, but out of my own love for the mother tongue,†said Kanimozhi in her speech that was mostly in Tamil with just a few English words thrown in here and there. Her mother Rajathiammal was in the audience, which included Samudra president Ms Padma Sri Nayudu and secretary Ms Srividya.
