Methil Radhakrishnan receives Keralam's highest literary honour
The writer has been selected for the 34th Ezhuthachan Award, which includes a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
Writer Methil Radhakrishnan has been selected for the 34th Ezhuthachan Award, the highest literary honour of the Keralam government, according to The Hindu and The New Indian Express.
Minister for Cultural Affairs P.C. Vishnunadh announced the award at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, November 1, 2026. The award includes a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a citation, and a plaque.
A jury led by poet K.G. Sankara Pillai unanimously chose Radhakrishnan. The jury included members Kalpatta Narayanan, K.
Satchidanandan, and Sarah Joseph, with M.P. Surendran serving as member secretary.
The jury stated that Radhakrishnan created a new sensibility in Malayalam literature by integrating science, philosophy, and psychology into his writings. They noted that an original philosophy connects his various works in novels, short stories, poetry, and scientific articles.
Radhakrishnan's major works include novels such as Sooryavamsam, Hitchcockinte Itapetal, and Laingikathayekkurichu Oru Upanyasam. His short fiction includes Sangeetham oru Samayakalayanu, Kayarinte Attam, Nayakanmar Shavapedakathil, and Melinjavarude Manashasthram.
The jury observed that his deep interests in subjects like world poetry, ecology, anthropology, and entomology add depth to his essays. They described his works as creating a major break in the literary aesthetic of Malayalam.