List of Malayalam literary awards

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

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.

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 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:

Deshabhimani Award
Deshabhimani Award is an annual award instituted by Deshabhimani 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 Deshabhimani. 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 son 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. The award for literature has been given since 1997.

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

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 for children's literature.

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.


 * 1992: Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer, B. M. Suhara
 * 1993: Balamani Amma, Vijayalakshmi
 * 1994: Sukumar Azhikode, Ashita
 * 1995: S. Guptan Nair, Gracy
 * 1996: Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, Shobha Warrier
 * 1997: N. P. Mohammed, K. P. Sudheera
 * 1998: T. Padmanabhan, S. Lakshmi Devi
 * 1999: M. Leelavathi, Rosemary
 * 2000: K. T. Muhammed, Geetha
 * 2001: Sugathakumari, Prameela Devi
 * 2002: Ponkunnam Varkey, Mayadevi
 * 2003: M. T. Vasudevan Nair, 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. 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 Malayattoor Ramakrishnan. 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.

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.

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.

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. 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-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.

Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair Award
Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair Award was instituted by the Sharjah chapter of Yuvakalasahithy UAE in memory of writer Vaikom Chandrasekharan Nair. The 12th edition of the award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a certificate, was announced in 2024.