This is a list of literary awards given for Malayalam–language.

Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award

Akkitham Award

Akkitham Award was established in 2021 by Thapasya Kala Sahithya Vedhi in memory of prominent poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a plaque and a certificate.

Asan Poetry Prize

Ashitha Memorial Literary Award

Ashitha Memorial Literary Award (Ashitha Smaraka Sahitya Puraskaram) was established in 2022 in memory of writer Ashitha. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a citation.

Ayyappan Puraskaram

The Ayanam – A. Ayyappan Poetry Award was instituted by Ayanam Samskarika Vedi (Ayanam Cultural Forum) in the memory of celebrated Malayalam poet A. Ayyappan.

Balamani Amma Award

Balamani Amma Award was established by the Kochi International Book Festival Committee in memory of prominent poetess Balamani Amma. The award is for lifetime achievement in language and literature and includes Rs 50,000 and a citation.

Basheer Award

Basheer Award was instituted by

Vaikom Muhammad Basheer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (21 January 1908 – 5 July 1994), popularly referred to as the Beypore Sultan, was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, a humanist and an Indian independence activist. He was a novelist and short story writer not ...

Smaraka Trust and consists of an amount of 50,000, a certificate of merit, and a plaque designed by C. N. Karunakaran.

C. G. Santhakumar Award

C. G. Santhakumar Award is instituted by the Kerala State Institute of Children's Literature for overall contributions of a writer to children's literature in Malayalam. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 60,000, a plaque and a certificate.

C. V. Sreeraman Award

The Ayanam - C. V. Sreeraman Award for Story was instituted in 2008 by Ayanam Samskarika Vedi (Ayanam Cultural Forum) in memory of Malayalam writer C. V. Sreeraman. The winners of the award are:

Cherukad Award

Deshabhimani Award

Deshabhimani Award is an annual award instituted by ''

Deshabhimani ''Deshabhimani'' is a Malayalam newspaper and the organ of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M). It started as a weekly in Kozhikode on 6 September 1942 and converted to a daily in 1946. The paper now has ten different printing centres: Ko ...

'' for overall contribution in social, cultural and literary fields. The award was instituted in 2017 as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of ''Deshabhimani''. The award carries a prize of Rs 2 lakh.

Deshabhimani Literary Award

Deshabhimani Literary Award is an annual award presented by ''

''. Instituted in 2017 during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of ''Deshabhimani'', this award honours literary works that have been published as first editions within the preceding two years. The award is given in three categories—novel, story and poetry—and carries a prize of Rs 1 lakh in each category.

Deviprasadam Trust Award

Deviprasadam Trust or the OMC Trust is established in the memory of Sanskrit scholar O. M. C. Narayanan Nambudiripadby his so
Sri O N Damodaran Nambudiripad
in 1990. Since 1990, the Trust gives awards in various disciplines such as Sanskrit, Vedanta, Music, Malayalam literature, and

Kathakali ''Kathakali'' (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Theatre of India, Indian theatre. It is a play of verses. These vers ...

. The award for literature has been given since 1997."Awards, Trusts and Scholarships: 2: Deviprasaadam Trust"
Namboothiri.com. Retrieved 3 January 2023.

Edasseri Award

Ezhuthachan Award

Federal Bank Literary Award

The Federal Bank Literary Award (Federal Bank Sahitya Puraskaram) was instituted by

Federal Bank Federal Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Aluva, Kerala. The bank has 1588+ banking outlets and, 2079+ ATMs/ CDMS spread across different states in India and overseas representative offices at Abu Dhabi and Dubai. ...

in 2022 to recognise literary works in Malayalam. The award carries a prize of Rs 1 lakh and is distributed during the Kerala Literature Festival.

Jnanpith Award (Jnanapeetam)

Jnanpith Award, India's most prestigious literary honour, was won by the following Malayalam authors.

Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan Award

Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan Award was established in 2015 by Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan Foundation in memory of prominent poet Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 55,555 and a citation.

Kerala Kalamandalam Kalagrandham Award

Kerala Kalamandalam 'Kalagrandham' Award by the Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University is an annual award given to the author of the best book for art literature. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 30000, a plaque, ponnada and a certificate. The award was won by the following authors.

Kamala Surayya Award

Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award

Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature (Bal Sahitya Puraskar)

The following are the winners of Bal Sahitya Puraskar, awarded annually by

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of the Indian government. Its off ...

for children's literature.

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award

Kunjunni Award

Kunjunni Award is given by Balasahiti Prakashan, the publication wing of Balagokulam, in memory of poet Kunjunni Mash. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a plaque and a certificate.

Lalithambika Antharjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award

The award, instituted in the memory of Lalithambika Antharjanam, was given in two categories: one for lifetime contribution to Malayalam literature (Rs 30,001 and a bronze memento) and the other for a promising young woman writer (Rs 5,000). The award was given by the Lalithambika Antharjanam Memorial Trust which was established in 1989 in

Ramapuram, Kottayam Ramapuram is a town in the Kottayam district of the Indian state of Kerala. Etymology The word "Ramapuram" means "the abode of Lord Rama", the village's chief deity. Ramapuram is unique in the sense that it houses the temple of Rama as well as ...

. * 1992: Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer, B. M. Suhara * 1993: Balamani Amma, Vijayalakshmi * 1994:

Sukumar Azhikode Koloth Thattarath Sukumaran, popularly known as Sukumar Azhikode (26 May 1926 – 24 January 2012) was an Indian academic, orator, critic and writer of Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the ...

, Ashita * 1995: S. Guptan Nair, Gracy * 1996: Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri,

Shobha Warrier Shobha Warrier is an Indian journalist and author based in Chennai. She began her career as a creative writer, with publishing a number of short stories in Malayalam: "Ramakundam", "Meghana", and "Jalavidya". In 1996, she was awarded with the Lal ...

* 1997:

N. P. Mohammed N. P. Mohammed (1 July 1928 – 3 January 2003), popularly known by his initials N. P., was an Indian novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Malayalam language. Along with his contemporaries like M. T. Vasudevan Nair, O. V. Vijayan, K ...

, K. P. Sudheera * 1998: T. Padmanabhan, S. Lakshmi Devi * 1999: M. Leelavathi,

Rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers. It is a member of the sage family, Lamiaceae. The species is native to the Mediterranean r ...

* 2000:

K. T. Muhammed K. T. Mohammed (29 September 1927 – 25 March 2008), popularly known as KT, was a Malayalam playwright and screenwriter. He had scripted about 40 stage plays, including ''Idhu Bhumiyanu'' (''This is the Earth''), considered to be his masterpi ...

, Geetha * 2001:

Sugathakumari Sugathakumari (22 January 1934 – 23 December 2020) was an Indian poet and activist, who was at the forefront of environmental and feminist movements in Kerala, India. Early life Sugathakumari was born in Aranmula on 22 January 1934 in the m ...

, Prameela Devi * 2002: Ponkunnam Varkey, Mayadevi * 2003:

M. T. Vasudevan Nair Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Narayanan Nair (15 July 1933 – 25 December 2024) was an Indian author, lecturer, Screenwriter, screenplay writer and film director. He was a prolific and versatile writer in modern Malayalam literature, and was o ...

, A. S. Priya * 2004: C. Radhakrishnan, K. R. Meera

Malayattoor Award (2006–present)

The literary prize was instituted in 2006 by Malayattoor Smaraka Samithi in the name of writer

Malayattoor Ramakrishnan K. V. Ramakrishna Iyer, better known by his pen name, Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (27 May 1927 – 27 December 1997), was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, cartoonist, lawyer, Magistrate, judicial magistrate, and Indian Administrative Servi ...

. It consists of a cash prize of ₹25,000, a citation, and statuette.

Malayattoor Award (2022–present)

The literary prize was instituted in 2022 by Malayattoor Foundation in the name of writer

. The first Malayattoor Award was awarded on 30 May 2022, the 95th Birth Anniversary of Malayattoor. The award includes a cash prize of Rs. 25,000, a statue and a citation.

Mathrubhumi Literary Award

Muttathu Varkey Award

N. V. Krishna Warrier Award

The literary prize was instituted in the name of writer N. V. Krishna Warrier.

Nalappadan Award

The literary prize was instituted in the name of writer

Nalapat Narayana Menon Nalapat Narayana Menon (7 October 1887 – 31 October 1954) was a Malayalam language author from Kerala state, South India. His oeuvre consists of poems, plays and translations. His best known works include ''Paavangal'', a translation of Victor ...

Nooranad Haneef Award

The literary prize is instituted in the name of writer Nooranad Haneef. It consists of a cash prize of 25,001 and citation and is given for writers under the age of 45.

O. N. V. Literary Award

O. V. Vijayan Literary Award

Odakkuzhal Award

P. Kesavadev Literary Award

P. Kunhiraman Nair Award

Padmaprabha Literary Award

Padmarajan Award

Puthoor Award

Puthoor Award was established by Unnikrishnan Puthoor Memorial Trust and Foundation in memory of writer Unnikrishnan Puthoor. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 11,111, a statuette designed by J. R. Prasad and a certificate.

S. Guptan Nair Award

The Prof. S. Guptan Nair Award was instituted in 2007 by Prof S. Guptan Nair Foundation, to honour Malayalam scholar S. Guptan Nair. The award carries Rs. 25,000 in cash and a citation. Some of the recipients of the award are listed below.

Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad Award

Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad is an organisation established in 1926 (as Sahithya Samajam). The Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad Award was established in 1988. The award was given to individual works published in Malayalam but since 2004, it is given for the overall contribution of a writer in Malayalam literature.

Saraswati Samman

Saraswati Samman was instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation for outstanding prose or poetry works in any of the Indian languages. The award was won by the following Malayalam authors.

Thakazhi Award

The award was instituted by Thakazhi Smaraka Samiti and Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala in the memory of renowned writer

Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (17 April 1912 – 10 April 1999), popularly known as Thakazhi after his place of birth, was an Indian novelist and short story writer of Malayalam literature. He wrote over 30 novels and novellas and over 600 s ...

. The award consists of Rs.50,000, a citation and a plaque.The award is given for a writer's overall contributions to Malayalam literature.

Thanima Puraskaram

The award was instituted in 2009 by

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...

-based Thanima Kala Sahithya Vedi, a literary organisation founded in 1991. Seminal works in a specific literary genre are considered for the award each year.

Thoppil Bhasi Award

Ulloor Award

V. T. Kumaran Award

Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair Award

Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair Award was instituted by the Sharjah chapter of Yuvakalasahithy UAE in memory of writer

Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair (1928 – 13 April 2005), popularly known as Vaikom, was an Indian writer and journalist who wrote primarily in Malayalam. He was born in Vaikom, a village in Kottayam district of Kerala. Career He started writing ea ...

. The 12th edition of the award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a certificate, was announced in 2024.

Vallathol Award

Vayalar Award

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malayalam literary awards Indian literary awards

Literary awards A literary award or literary prize is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded Literature, literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author. Organizations Most literary awards come with a corresponding award c ...

Malayalam literary awards Malayalam literary awards