Prabhakaran memorial award given away to Silent Valley sentinel Maari

The Environment Excellence Award commemorating G. Prabhakaran, a former correspondent with The Hindu who died in an accident here in 2023, was given away at a function here on Saturday (October 4, 2025). Prabhakaran’s family instituted the award in association with the Oisca International.

Silent Valley National Park watcher and conservationist Maari received the award from District Collector M.S. Madhavikutty and writer Asha Menon. They praised Mr. Maari for being the sentinel of Silent Valley.

Ms. Madhavikutty sought visibility for the “invisible sentinel named Maari who has dedicated his life for conservation”. Mr. Menon too stressed the importance of conserving Silent Valley.

Writer Asha Menon delivering the keynote address after giving away G. Prabhakaran memorial environment excellence award to Silent Valley forest watcher Maari at Palakkad on Saturday.

He said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decision to halt a dam project in the Silent Valley had redeemed her image tarnished by her actions during the Emergency. “Her single executive order conserving the Silent Valley had the power to wash away her excesses,” Mr. Menon said, pointing out the profound impact of that decision.

Palakkad municipal chairperson Prameela Sasidharan commemorated Prabhakaran. Oisca Palakkad chapter president A. Surendran presided over the function. Veteran economist P.A. Vasudevan introduced Prabhakaran and his journalistic work.

Former Minister V.C. Kabeer, former CPI district secretary Suresh Raj, Silent Valley assistant wildlife warden V.S. Vishnu, Oisca director Suresh Babu, Oisca coordinator B. Jayarajan, Senior Journalists Union general secretary V.R. Rajmohan, and District Information Officer Priya Unnikrishnan spoke.

P. Premnath, former Oisca South India secretary, welcomed the gathering. Prabhakaran’s widow Vasanthi proposed a vote of thanks.