Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami handed over the Thiruvalluvar Award for 2020 and the Thanthai Periyar Award for 2019 to N. Nithyanandha Bharathi and former Union Minister Gingee N. Ramachandran (who had quit the MDMK and joined the AIADMK), respectively, at an event in Chennai on Monday.
The Annal Ambedkar Award was given to K. Arjunan, and the Perarignar Anna Award to K. Samarasam (AIADMK spokesperson).
The CM also handed over the Perunthalaivar Kamarasar Award and the Mahakavi Bharathiyar Award to M.S. Mathivanan and P. Sivaraji respectively. Thenisai Chellappa and S. Sundararajan received the Pavendhar Bharathidasan Award and the Thamizhthendral Award respectively. Manimekalai Kannan received the Muthamizh Kavalar K.A.P. Viswanatham Award.
The Thamizhthai Award for 2019 went to Chicago Tamil Sangam. Other award winners are: poet Vetriyazhagan (Kabilar Award), V. Mahadevan (U. Ve. Sa. Award), Saraswathi Ramanathan (Kambar Award) and Kavidasan (Sollin Selvar Award).
Umaruppulavar Award went to Liakath Ali Khan and G.U. Pope Award was conferred on Maria Joseph Xavier. Gnanaselvan alias Thirugnanasambandham won the Ilango Adigal award and Amma Literary Award went to Umayal Muthu respectively.
Sinthanai Sirpi Singaravelar Award was handed over to Ashoka Subramanian alias S.K. Subramanian and Maraimalai Adigalar Award went to P. Muthukumaraswamy. Ayothidas Pandithar Award was awarded to V. Prabhakaran. Awards for Best Translation were handed over to S. Mohammad Yousuf, K.J. Masthan Ali, Siva. Murugesan, N. Kadikasalam, Marabin Maindhan, Vatsala, Murugudurai, Malan alias V. Narayanan, Kirusangini alias Brinda Nagarajan and A. Mathivanan.
Chief Minister's Tamil Computing Award for 2018 was conferred on T. Nagarajan. Under the World Tamil Sangam, Madurai awards for 2019, P. Rajendran of Malaysia got the literary award, Muthu Kasturibai was handed over the grammar award and Subhathini Ramesh was conferred on with linguistic award.
All award-winning personalities received a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, a citation and a shawl. The institution that won the Thamizhthai Award received a cash prize of ₹5 lakh. Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Minister for Tamil Culture K. Pandiarajan and other Council of Ministers were present.
