Methil Radhakrishnan Wins Kerala’s Ezhuthachan Award

Writer Methil Radhakrishnan has been selected for the 34th Ezhuthachan Award, Kerala’s highest literary honour. Cultural Affairs Minister P.C. Vishnunadh announced the award at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on 1 November 2026. The announcement coincided with the 70th anniversary of Kerala’s formation.

Award and literary work

The award carries ₹5 lakh, a citation and a plaque. A jury chaired by poet K.G. Sankara Pillai unanimously selected Radhakrishnan. Its members were Kalpatta Narayanan, K. Satchidanandan and Sarah Joseph; M.P. Surendran served as member secretary. The jury cited his aesthetic vision and intellectual contribution to a new sensibility in Malayalam literature.

Radhakrishnan’s writing brings science, philosophy and psychology into novels, short stories, poetry and scientific articles. His works include the novels Sooryavamsam, Hitchcockinte Itapetal and Laingikathayekkurichu Oru Upanyasam, and short-fiction collections such as Sangeetham oru Samayakalayanu and Kayarinte Attam. His essays draw on subjects including ecology, anthropology, history and entomology.

The presentation ceremony is scheduled for Kozhikode later in November. Its date is to be finalised according to the availability of Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and the recipient.

Important Facts for Exams

• Award namesake: The Ezhuthachan Award is named for Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, regarded as the father of the Malayalam language.
• Award administration: The Kerala Sahitya Akademi, an institution of the Kerala government, confers the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram.
• Insect research: Before concentrating mainly on writing, Methil Radhakrishnan spent eight years researching insect ethology while working as a freelance journalist.