Odakkuzhal Award is an annual literary award that was institued in 1968 by the renowned Malayalam Poet G. Sankara Kurup to commemorate the Jnanpith Award he had won. The award carries a monetary award of INR 30000, a plaque, and a citation. Balakavi Raman won the first 1968 Odakkuzhal Award for his work ‘Narayaneeyam’ (Tamil translation) in 1969. N Prabhakaran has won 2019 Odakkuzhal Award for his work ‘Mayamanushyar’ in 2020.
The complete list of awardees is given below:
| Year | Recipient | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Balakavi Raman | Narayaneeyam (Tamil translation) |
| 1969 | Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup | Tulsidasa Ramayanam (Malayalam translation) |
| 1970 | O. V. Vijayan | Khasakkinte Itihasam |
| 1971 | Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon | Vida |
| 1972 | N. Krishna Pillai | Thiranjedutha Prabandhangal |
| 1973 | Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri | Nimisha Kshetram |
| 1974 | K. Surendran | Maranam Durbalam |
| 1975 | V. K. Govindan Nair | V. K. Govindan Nairude Krithikal |
| 1976 | Nalankal Krishna Pillai | Krishna Tulasi |
| 1977 | Lalithambika Antharjanam | Agnisakshi |
| 1978 | Kainikkara Kumara Pillai | Naatakeeyam |
| 1979 | M. Leelavathy | Varnaraji |
| 1980 | P. Bhaskaran | Ottakkambiyulla Thamburu |
| 1981 | Vilasini | Avakasikal |
| 1982 | Sugathakumari | Ambalamani |
| 1983 | Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri | Mukhamevide |
| 1984 | G. Kumara Pillai | Sapthaswaram |
| 1985 | N. N. Kakkad | Saphalamee Yathra |
| 1986 | Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan | Kalimuttam |
| 1987 | Yusufali Kechery | Kechery Puzha |
| 1988 | Olappamanna | Nizhalana |
| 1989 | M. P. Sankunni Nair | Chhathravum Chamaravum |
| 1990 | O. N. V. Kurup | Mrigaya |
| 1991 | P. Narayana Kurup | Nishagandhi |
| 1992 | Thikkodiyan | Arangu Kanatha Nadan |
| 1993 | M. T. Vasudevan Nair | Vanaprastham |
| 1994 | N. S. Madhavan | Higuita |
| 1996 | Anand | Govardhanante Yathrakal |
| 1997 | M. P. Veerendra Kumar | Athmavilekkoru Theerthayathra |
| 1998 | Asha Menon | Paraga Koshangal |
| 1999 | Chandramathi | Rain Deer |
| 2000 | Satchidanandan | Thiranjedutha Kavithakal |
| 2001 | Ayyappa Paniker | Ayyappa Paniker Kavithakal |
| 2002 | Mundur Krishnankutty | Enne Veruthe Vittalum |
| 2003 | Zacharia | Thiranjedutha Kathakal |
| 2004 | P. Surendran | Chinese Market |
| 2005 | Njeralathu Surendran and KP Nair | Naatyacharyante Jeevithamudrakal |
| 2006 | C. Radhakrishnan | Theekkadal Kadanju Thirumadhuram |
| 2007 | N. K. Desam | Mudra |
| 2008 | K. G. Sankara Pillai | K. G. S. Kavithakal |
| 2009 | Sreekumaran Thampi | Ammakku Oru Tharattu |
| 2010 | Unnikrishnan Puthoor | Anubhavangalude Nerrekhakal |
| 2011 | Subhash Chandran | Manushyanu Oru Amukham |
| 2012 | Sethu | Marupiravi |
| 2013 | K. R. Meera | Aarachaar |
| 2014 | Rafeeq Ahammed | Rafeeq Ahammedinte Kruthikal |
| 2015 | S. Joseph | Chandranodoppam |
| 2016 | M. A. Rahman | Oro Jeevanum Vilappettathaanu |
| 2017 | Aymanam John | Aymanam Johninte Kathakal |
| 2018 | E V Ramakrishnan | Malayala novalinte desakalangal |
| 2019 | N Prabhakaran | Mayamanushyar |