CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury was awarded the N Ramachandran award for distinction in public service, 2016. Apart from a citation and a memento, the award also consists of a cash component of Rs 50,000. The N Ramachandran Foundation was established to carry forward the legacy of highly respected journalist of Kerala who worked for over 65 years with integrity and had done reporting with a focus on people’s issues. N Ramachandran was associated with a major Kerala media group, Kerala Kaumudi. The award was presented by governor of Kerala in the presence of chief minister and leader of the opposition on June 29, 2016. Following this, Sitaram Yechury delivered the memorial lecture titled, `New Constructs of Nationalism and the Media’. Sitaram Yechury has decided to donate the cash component of Rs 50,000 to the West Bengal State Relief Fund to be used for the relief and rehabilitation of our comrades who are victims of a murderous assault in West Bengal.