Jayakumar’s 'Pingalakeshini' was selected for the award from a shortlist of nine Malayalam works.

Jayakumar’s 'Pingalakeshini' was selected for the award from a shortlist of nine Malayalam works.

Jayakumar’s 'Pingalakeshini' was selected for the award from a shortlist of nine Malayalam works.

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Chief Secretary and renowned writer K Jayakumar has bagged the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award for his poem 'Pingalakeshini'. The prestigious award includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a citation, and a memento.

Jayakumar’s 'Pingalakeshini' was selected for the award from a shortlist of nine Malayalam works. Speaking to Manorama News, the poet shared that the collection urges readers to reflect on the erosion of values in society.

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A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Jayakumar is a 1978 batch IAS officer. He served as Kerala’s Chief Secretary from April 2012 to October 2012. Beyond his 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 approximately 25 Malayalam and four English books.
In 2021, he received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for his overall contributions to literature.