The Kendra Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya Puraksar for 2023 has been awarded to writer Priya AS.
She won the award for the 2018 novel Perumazhayathe Kunjithalukal that she wrote. She had previously received the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for her translation of The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

Speaking on the honour, Ms. Priya informed The Hindu that Chithrasalabhangalude Veedu was the catalyst for her inadvertent entry into children’s literature. “Ammem Kunjunneem Kunjunneem Ammem, a compilation of stories I wrote about my young son, received a lot of positive feedback. This is what inspired me to write about how youngsters from incredibly diverse backgrounds perceived the 2018 floods,” the author claimed.

When the Kerala floods occurred, Ms. Priya was employed by CUSAT’s instrumentation department. While there, she witnessed the plight of those staying in a relief camp that had been set up on campus. “This was included in it when Dr. Sreekumar requested a work for the Sammanappothi series edited by him,” she stated. Poorna Publications was the publisher of the book.