Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran journalist and Star of Mysore columnist T.J.S. George has been chosen for the first Kesari Media Award, instituted by the Kesari Memorial Journalist Trust here.

Filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan will present the award consisting of ‘Rs. 50,000 cash prize, citation and a figurine to TJS at a function at Kesari Hall here at 11 am on Aug. 13.

A jury, comprising filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Asianet Editor M.G. Radhakrishnan, Media Academy Chairman R.S. Babu and Kesari Memorial Journalist Trust Chairman C. Rahim as members, selected the award winner.

“TJS is a model to journalists of our time and future scribes also. He is not merely known for his journalistic achievements but for his contributions as a writer. His memoir ‘Ghoshayathra’ is noted for its fluid prose and narrative on human life,” Adoor Gopalakrishnan said.

Radhakrishnan told the gathering TJS will remain an inspiration for upholding idealism in journalism. “TJS’ name gives dignity not only to journalism, but to all fellow Malayalees,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, R.S. Babu said the Academy will make a docu-fiction on TJS as part of its plans to produce docu-fictions on towering media personalities. Filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli will helm the work on TJS. The jury said TJS who had received his higher education from Madras Christian College (MCC) started his journalistic career with the Free Press Journal in Mumbai. Later, he joined the International Press Institute and Searchlight. TJS was also the Founder-Editor of Hong Kong-based Asia Week. He is currently Editorial Adviser, The New Indian Express. He has also authored several tomes with ‘Krishna Menon’,’Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore’, ‘The Life and Times of Nargis’, ‘Lessons in Journalism –  The Story of Pothen Joseph’  and  M.S. Subbulakshmi being the notable ones.