Sahitya Akademi Award Archives

U. A. KHADAR

U. A. Khadar (1935–2020) was born in the village of Billin in Rangoon in 1935 to a Burmese mother, Mamaidi, and a Malayali father, Moitheenkutty Haji. He worked at All India Radio in Kozhikode, the Institute of Maternal and Child Health at the Medical College, and the Government General Hospital before retiring from government service in 1990. A prolific writer, he authored numerous novels, short story collections, and essays. His major works include Thrikkottur Peruma, which won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for short stories in 1984, Aghorashivam, which earned the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for a novel in 2001, Kathapole Jeevitham, recipient of the S. K. Pottekkatt Award in 1993, and Oru Pidi Vattu, which won the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award. His Thrikkottur Novellas won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 2009. He was also honored with the Kerala Sahitya Parishad Award in 2016 and the Mathrubhumi Literary Award in 2019. He passed away on December 12, 2020.

THAKAZHI SIVASANKARA PILLAI

Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (1912–1999) was born on April 17, 1912. His first novel, Thyagathinu Prathiphalam, was published in 1934. From 1936 to 1957, he practiced as a lawyer in Ambalapuzha. He authored more than twenty-five novels and around two hundred short stories, including notable works like Randidangazhi, Thottiyude Makan, and Anubhavangal Paalichakal. Most of his works have been translated into various Indian and foreign languages. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958 for Chemmeen, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1965 for Enippadikal, and the Vayalar Award in 1980 for Kayar. He was also honored with the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1974 and the prestigious Jnanpith Award in 1984. Thakazhi served as President of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi in 1978 and again in 1981. In 1985, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan. He passed away on April 10, 1999.

KUNHUNNI MASH

Kunhunni Mash (1927–2006) was born on May 10, 1927. His father was Neelakandan Moosath of the Njayappilly family, and his mother was Narayaniamma of the Athiyara family. He began his professional career as a teacher at Chelari High School. In 1953, he joined the Sree Ramakrishna Mission High School in Kozhikode as a teacher and retired in 1982. His major works include Rashtreeyam, Kuttippencil, Oonutottu Urakkam Vare, Cheriya Kuttikkavithakal, Valiya Kuttikkavithakal, and Kunhunnimashum Kuttiyolum. He received numerous accolades, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and the State Children’s Literature Award. He passed away on March 26, 2006.

KUNHIRAMAN NAIR P

P. Kunhiraman Nair (1906–1978) was born on October 26, 1906 (Thulam 9, 1082 in the Malayalam calendar) in Adiyodi House, Ajanur village, in the Kasaragod district. He received his early education at Vellikoth Primary School and later studied under Punnasseri Nambi at the Pattambi Sanskrit College and at the Sanskrit school in Thanjavur. He worked in various institutions as a teacher and journalist. In 1948, he was honored with the title Bhaktakavi by the King of Neeleswaram. His famous work Kaliyachan earned him the Madras Government Award in 1955 and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1959. His work Thamarathoni also received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967. Over his career, he published more than sixty works, including poetry, plays, biographies, essays, autobiographies, and children’s literature. He passed away on May 27, 1978.

NARENDRANATH P

P. Narendranath (1934–1991) was born in Nellaya, near Pattambi. He held degrees in economics and banking, and retired as a Regional Manager of Canara Bank. A prolific writer, he authored over thirty books spanning novels, plays, and children’s literature, with notable works including Vikritiraman and Andhagayan. His contributions earned him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and an award from the Central Ministry of Education. Some of his works have also been translated into Tamil and Hindi. He passed away in 1991.

O V VIJAYAN

O. V. Vijayan (1930–2005) was a celebrated novelist, short story writer, cartoonist, political thinker, and journalist. Born on July 2, 1930, in Vilayanchaathanoor, Palakkad, he completed his M.A. in English from Presidency College, Chennai, and briefly worked as a college lecturer. He later pursued a career in journalism with publications like Shankar’s Weekly, Patriot, and The Statesman. Vijayan authored around 30 works spanning novels, short stories, essays, and cartoons. He received several prestigious awards, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990, the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Vayalar Award in 1991 for Gurusagaram, the Muttathu Varkey Award in 1992 for Khasakkinte Ithihasam, and the M. P. Paul Award in 1999 for Thalamurakal. In 2001, he was honoured with the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram by the Government of Kerala, and in 2003, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. O. V. Vijayan passed away on March 30, 2005.

G SANKARA KURUP

G. Sankara Kurup was born on June 3, 1901, in Nayathode near Kalady. He served as a teacher for ten years at the Thrissur Training College and for nineteen years at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. After retiring in 1956, he worked as a producer at All India Radio in Thiruvananthapuram. He was a member of the General Council of the Sahitya Akademi and a Fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi. Kurup received several prestigious awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award (1963), the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (1960), the first Jnanpith Award instituted by the Bharatiya Jnanpith (1965), and the Soviet Land Nehru Award (1967). In 1968, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan. Over his lifetime, he published a total of 49 works. He passed away on February 2, 1978. His major works include G. Sankara Kurup’s Selected Poems, G. Sankara Kurup’s Poems, Children’s Poems, and the acclaimed Odakkuzhal. He also translated Gitanjali into Malayalam.

V K N

V. K. N. (Vadakke Koottala Narayanankutty Nair) was born on April 6, 1932, in Thiruvilwamala, Thrissur district. He worked as a journalist in Delhi from 1959 to 1969. Renowned for his sharp wit and satirical style, V. K. N. made significant contributions to Malayalam literature through his short stories and novels. His notable recognitions include the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Aarohanam (1970), the Sahitya Akademi Award for Payyan Kathakal (1982), and the Muttathu Varkey Award for Pithamahan (1997). He also served as the Vice President of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and as Chairman of the Kunchan Nambiar Memorial. V. K. N. passed away on January 25, 2004.

VAYALAR RAMA VARMA

Vayalar Rama Varma was born on March 25, 1928, to Vellarappally Kerala Varma and Vayalar Raghavaparamil Ambalika Thampuratti. From a young age, he was trained in Sanskrit through the traditional gurukula system. Closely associated with the Communist movement, Vayalar was a prominent figure in Kerala’s social and cultural spheres. He received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961 for his poetry collection Sargageetham. A celebrated lyricist, he won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Lyricist three times and was honored with the President’s Gold Medal in 1974 as the best film lyricist in India. He passed away on October 27, 1975. His wife was Bharathithampuratti of the Chengannur Puthen Kovilakam, and they had four children: Sharachandran, Indulekha, Yamuna, and Sindhu. In his memory, the Vayalar Rama Varma Literary Award, one of Kerala’s most prestigious literary honors, has been awarded annually on October 27 since 1977.

M T VASUDEVAN NAIR

M. T. Vasudevan Nair is a renowned short story writer, novelist, screenwriter, and film director, born on July 15, 1933, in Kudallur near Ponnani. He began his career as a teacher and later worked as the associate editor and then editor of Mathrubhumi Weekly (1956–1981). He also served as the editor of Mathrubhumi Periodicals from 1988 to 1999. His literary brilliance earned him numerous accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Kaalam, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Naalukettu, the Vayalar Award for Randamoozham, the Odakkuzhal Award for Vanaprastham, and the prestigious Jnanpith Award. As a screenwriter, he won several Kerala State and National Film Awards, including the National Award for Best Film for Nirmalyam in 1974. He has been conferred honorary D.Litt degrees by both the University of Calicut and Mahatma Gandhi University. In 2004, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan.