Literary Milestone—First Odakkuzhal Award Winner G. Sankara Kurup

History of the Odakkuzhal Award

The Odakkuzhal Award is regarded as the most honorable literary award in Malayalam literature. It was introduced in 1969 by the renowned poet G. Sankara Kurup, who was the first Jnanpith Award winner in Malayalam. The award (one of the oldest literary awards in India) is an annual award presented to the outstanding work of fiction in Malayalam literature of the last year.

About the First Odakkuzhal Award Winner

Sankara Kurup himself was the very first Odakkuzhal Award winner, in 1969, as recognition of his amazing collection of poetry, Oru Theruvinte Katha. Even though he was the one who initiated the award, he had no role to play during the selection exercise, as it was carried out by an independent literary committee in order of credibility and fair play.

Literary Significance of the First Award

The prestige of the award was initiated by the first Odakkuzhal Award winner, G. Sankara Kurup. The works of the first Odakkuzhal Award winner were an example of how a good literary work is created and motivated generations of writers to strive towards literary excellence. Oru Theruvinte Katha is relatable to people even of different backgrounds due to its themes that showcased the efforts and the loveliness in ordinary lives. This paying of immense importance to emotional truth is still relevant to Malayalam literature.

History of the Odakkuzhal Award Over the Years

The award has been awarded to various types of Malayalam literature since 1969: novels, poetry, short stories, and critical essays. Notable writers like M. T. Vasudevan Nair, O. N. V. Kurup, and Paul Zacharia have been awarded. The first Odakkuzhal Award winner and the other winners strengthen the position of Kerala’s literature year by year. It is still among the very few awards with a largely admired selection process because of being unbiased in giving credit to merit in terms of literature.

Inspiration to Young Writers

The Odakkuzhal Award has even motivated the young Malayalam writers. It allows newcomers to be noticed among more established writers, which helps to innovate and experiment in the sphere of literature. It is considered a milestone in the careers of many rising writers who, quoting earlier recipients of the award, particularly G. Sankara Kurup, are motivated to continue their writing with determination.

It is considered a career milestone for many of the rising writers, as they take inspiration from past winners of this award, especially the first Odakkuzhal Award winner, G. Sankara Kurup.

FAQs

Q1. Who is the pioneer awardee of the Odakkuzhal Award?

Ans: In 1969 G. Sankara Kurup was the first recipient of the Odakkuzhal Award, owing to the poetry collection Oru Theruvinte Katha.

Q2. What was so great about the first award?

Ans: It was noteworthy, as it has established the standard of literature in Malayalam literature and also proved the credibility of the award in the initial year itself.

Q3. Is the Odakkuzhal Award handed out solely for poetry?

Ans: No. Although the initial award was in the field of poetry, other literary categories such as novels, short stories, and essays, as well as literary works in Malayalam, have been honored.