Odakkuzhal Award Winners

Odakkuzhal Award is an annual Malayalam literary award given to a writer for his/her excellent work in the past year. The award is instituted by the renowned Malayalam Poet G. Sankara Kurup in 1969 to commemorate his victory of the Jnanpith Award in 1965.  

The award carries a monetary award of ₹30000, a plaque, and a citation. 

The First Recipient of this award is Balakavi Raman in 1968 for his work Narayaneeyam and the Last Recipient of Odakkuzhal Award in 2022 is Ambikasuthan Mangad for his shortstory collection Pranavayu ('പ്രാണവായു').

List of Odakkuzhal Award Recipients:

Year	Recipient	Works
1968	Balakavi Raman	Narayaneeyam (Tamil translation)
1969	Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup	Tulsidasa Ramayanam (Malayalam translation)
1970	O. V. Vijayan	Khasakkinte Itihasam
1971	Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon	Vida
1972	N. Krishna Pillai	Thiranjedutha Prabandhangal
1973	Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri	Nimisha Kshetram
1974	K. Surendran	Maranam Durbalam
1975	V. K. Govindan Nair	V. K. Govindan Nairude Krithikal
1976	Nalankal Krishna Pillai	Krishna Tulasi
1977	Lalithambika Antharjanam	Agnisakshi
1978	Kainikkara Kumara Pillai	Naatakeeyam
1979	M. Leelavathy	Varnaraji
1980	P. Bhaskaran	Ottakkambiyulla Thamburu
1981	Vilasini	Avakasikal
1982	Sugathakumari	Ambalamani
1983	Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri	Mukhamevide
1984	G. Kumara Pillai	Sapthaswaram
1985	N. N. Kakkad	Saphalamee Yathra
1986	Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan	Kalimuttam
1987	Yusufali Kechery	Kechery Puzha
1988	Olappamanna	Nizhalana
1989	M. P. Sankunni Nair	Chhathravum Chamaravum
1990	O. N. V. Kurup	Mrigaya
1991	P. Narayana Kurup	Nishagandhi
1992	Thikkodiyan	Arangu Kanatha Nadan
1993	M. T. Vasudevan Nair	Vanaprastham
1994	N. S. Madhavan	Higuita
1996	Anand	Govardhanante Yathrakal
1997	M. P. Veerendra Kumar	Athmavilekkoru Theerthayathra
1998	Asha Menon	Paraga Koshangal
1999	Chandramathi	Rain Deer
2000	Sachidanandan	Thiranjedutha Kavithakal
2001	Ayyappa Paniker	Ayyappa Paniker Kavithakal
2002	Mundur Krishnankutty	Enne Veruthe Vittalum
2003	Zacharia	Thiranjedutha Kathakal
2004	P. Surendran	Chinese Market
2005	Njeralathu Surendran & KP Nair	Naatyacharyante Jeevithamudrakal
2006	C. Radhakrishnan	Theekkadal Kadanju Thirumadhuram
2007	N. K. Desam	Mudra
2008	K. G. Sankara Pillai	K. G. S. Kavithakal
2009	Sreekumaran Thampi	Ammakku Oru Tharattu
2010	Unnikrishnan Puthoor	Anubhavangalude Nerrekhakal
2011	Subhash Chandran	Manushyanu Oru Amukham
2012	Sethu	Marupiravi
2013	K. R. Meera	Aarachaar
2014	Rafeeq Ahammed	Rafeeq Ahammedinte Kruthikal
2015	S. Joseph	Chandranodoppam
2016	M. A. Rahman	Oro Jeevanum Vilappettathaan
2017	Aymanam John	Aymanam Johninte Kathakal
2018	V Ramakrishnan	Malayala novalinte desakalangal
2019	N. Prabhakaran	Mayamanushyar('മായാമനുഷ്യര്‍')
2021	Sarah Joseph	Budhini ('ബുധിനി')
2022	Ambikasuthan Mangad	Pranavayu ('പ്രാണവായു')
2023	P.N. Gopikrishnan	Kavitha Mamsabhojiyanu  ('കവിത മാംസഭോജിയാണ്‌')

SideNotes:

• Instituted By – Guruvayurappan Trust (1968).
• First Malayali to win the Jnanpith Award – G. Sankara Kurup.
• G. Shanakara Kurup is also known as – 'Mahakavi G'
• Birth place of G. Shanakara Kurup – Nayathode (Ernakulam).
• First Mystic Poet in Kerala – G. Sankara Kurup.
• First Malayali poet to become a member of Rajya Sabha – G. Sankara Kurup (1968).
• Jnanpith award winner who became a member of Rajya Sabha – G. Sankara Kurup.
• Autobiography – Ormmayude Olangalil.
• Major works of Ambikasuthan Mangad – 
• Enmakaje – debut novel based on the sufferings of Endosulfan sufferers in Enmakaje village in Kasargod district, and is used as a textbook in seven universities.
• Rathri, Randu Malsyangal, Sadharana Veshangal, Neeraaliyan, Othenante Vaal, Jeevithathinte Mudra, Marakkappile theyyangal ( Cherukad Award).