Have faith in media and writers, says writer

MUSCAT, March 10 - “Media and writers have a key role to play in the present times and the world looks up to them,” said K P Ramanunni, the winner of Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award — a top literary award in India. “Media cannot be bullied into submission; there will always be those who can influence the world and give a ray of hope to people,” the writer, also known as KP, said during his brief visit to the capital Muscat. Ramanunni, who won the award for his work, ‘God’s Book’, drew praise as well as flak for donating his prize money (for the award) to Junaid, a victim of mob-lynching in the Indian national capital New Delhi. “Donating the prize money of RO 558 to the victim was just a token of support to the suppressed sections of society,” he added. He also lauded the Indian expats for “moving with the times” and for treating the country they are living in as their own.