Former Kerala Chief Secretary and acclaimed writer K Jayakumar, an IAS officer of 1978 batch, has been honored with the prestigious Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for his poem Pingalakeshini. The award, which recognizes outstanding literary contributions, includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a citation, and a memento.
Jayakumar’s Pingalakeshini was selected from a shortlist of nine Malayalam works. Speaking with media, he explained that the collection encourages readers to reflect on the erosion of values in modern society.
A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Jayakumar is a 1978-batch IAS officer and served as Kerala’s Chief Secretary from April 2012 to October 2012. In addition to his distinguished administrative career, Jayakumar has made significant contributions to literature and the arts. He has written lyrics for nearly 100 Malayalam films and albums and authored around 25 Malayalam books and four in English.
In recognition of his exceptional literary contributions, Jayakumar was also awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 2021. This latest honor adds to his long list of accolades and further cements his reputation as a leading figure in Malayalam literature.
