The Tamizh Academy Awards, instituted by SRM University on the lines of the prestigious Sahitya Academy awards, were recently presented to Tamil
scholars, coinciding with the birthday of the chancellor of the University, Dr T R Pachamuthu.
The Thamizh Academy awards were presented to 10 people in various categories for works in Tamil. The event was held at the university campus in Kattankulathur.
The awards carry a cash prize of `1.5 lakh. Apart from this, two other awards were also announced - the Parithimar Kalaignar award for the best Tamil laureate carrying a prize of `2 lakh and the Parivendhar Painthamizh Award for the best Tamil laureate for lifetime achievements, carrying a prize of `5 lakh.
Addressing the gathering, the chief guest Justice A R Lakshmanan, former judge, Supreme Court, said that it was heartening to note that awards were being conferred for some of the best Tamil literary works. He hoped that such awards would help increase the Tamil tribe.
T R Pachamuthu, who is a patron of the Tamizh Perayam, said that these awards were instituted in the best interest of the Tamil language. He also said that they wished for the award to be as well-recognised, if not more, as the Sahithya Akademi awards, at a national level.
awards list
Pudumaipiththan Creative Literature Award for the best small stories Novels and Drama – Thoppil Mohammad Meeran for his book Anjuvannam Theru
G U Pope Translation Award for the best translated works - K Kuppuswami for translated literary work En Peyar Sivappu
P N Appusami Award for the best science works in Tamil - Dr K Anbazhagan for his Valiya Elumbe vazhu vazhuppaana mutte
Anandakumarasami Award for Fine Arts - Madras Christian College professor S Balusamy
Muthu Thandavar Award for the best in Tamil Music - Mammadhu for his work on Tamizhisai Peragarathi
Valar Thamizh Award (for the best young researcher in Tamil ) - Prof K Sundarapandian for his research work on Tamizh Porul Ilakkanam