Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award is an award given by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, an autonomous organisation for the encouragement, preservation, and documentation of the performing arts of Kerala, set up by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala. Instituted in 1962, the awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts. The award consists of Rs. 30,000, a citation and a plaque. The recipients of the award are also conferred the title Kalasree.

List of recipients The recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in various categories of performing arts have been listed below:

Classical Music

1962 – M. A. Kalyanakrishna Bhagavathar 1962 – K. S. Narayanaswamy (Veena) 1964 – Ambalapuzha Sankaranarayana Panicker 1964 – Ambalapuzha Gopalakrishna Panicker 1966 – M. D. Ramanathan 1969 – Kottaram Sankunny Nair (Harmonium) 1971 – Palghat K. V. Narayanaswamy 1971 – Mavelikkara Krishnankutty Nair (Mridangam) 1972 – C. S. Krishna Iyer 1972 – Parur Sundaram Iyer (Violin) 1972 – Thiruvizha Raghavan Pillai (Nadaswaram) 1973 – Vaikom Vasudevan Nair 1973 – Chunangad Appu Iyer (Mridangam) 1974 – Puthucode Krishnamoorthy 1975 – Kaviyoor C. K. Revamma 1976 – Cherthala Gopalan Nair 1976 – Chittoor Sankara Panicker (Nadaswaram) 1977 – Parassala B. Ponnammal 1978 – L. P. R. Varma 1979 – K. R. Kedaranathan 1981 – Neyyattinkara Vasudevan 1981 – Mavelikkara Velukkutty Nair (Mridangam) 1982 – Trivandrum R. Venkataraman (Veena) 1982 – Kamala Kailasanathan 1982 – Mavelikkara Sankarankutty Nair (Mridangam) 1983 – P. Leela 1983 – M. K. Kalyana Krishna Bhagavathar (Veena) 1983 – T. V. Gopalakrishnan (Mridangam) 1983 – P. K. Sankaran (Nadaswaram) 1985 – Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma 1985 – Mavelikkara S. R. Raju (Mridangam) 1986 – Vechoor Harihara Subramania Iyer 1987 – Trichur V. Ramachandran 1988 – V. V. Subrahmanyam (Violin) 1989 – Mangad K. Natesan 1990 – Renuka Girijan 1991 – K. G. Jayan 1992 – Palkulangara Ambika Devi 1992 – Tripunithura G. Narayana Swamy (Mridangam) 1993 – P. R. Kumara Kerala Varma 1993 – Rajeswari Menon (Veena) 1994 – A. K. Raveendranath 1994 – S. Hariharan Nair 1995 – Trivandrum R. Krishnaswamy 1995 – Puthukode S. Krishna (Mridangam) 1996 – Pala C. K. Ramachandran 1996 – Aranmula Govindankutty (Thakil) 1996 – Malabar Sukumaran Bhagavathar 1997 – K. Omanakutty (Vocal) 1997 – Tripunithura N. Radhakrishnan (Ghatam) 1997 – Pappukutty Bhagavathar 1998 – Neyyattinkara Mohanachandran (Vocal) 1998 – T. S. Babu (Violin) 1998 – Trivandrum V. Surendran (Mridangam) 1999 – K. S. Gopalakrishnan (Pullamkuzhal) 1999 – Tripunithura Lalitha (Vocal) 2000 – Sukumari Narendra Menon (Vocal) 2000 – Parassala Ravi (Mridangam) 2000 – Nedumangad Sivanandan (Violin) 2000 – Ambilikuttan (Vocal) 2001 – Gopalan Nair (Ganjira) 2001 – Vettikavala K. N. Sasikumar (Nadaswaram) 2002 – Ananthalakshmi Venkitaraman (Vocal) 2002 – Aryanad G. Sadasivan (Vocal) 2002 – V. Balakrishnan Potty (Veena) 2003 – N. P. Ramaswami (Vocal) 2003 – Mathangi Sathyamoorthy (Vocal) 2003 – T. V. Ramani (Violin) 2004 – Leelamani Radhakrishnan (Vocal) 2004 – Thiruvizha Sivanandan (Violin) 2004 – S. Sai Babu (Violin) 2004 – K. R. Anto (Flute) 2004 – Cherthala N. Sreekumar Varma (Mridangam) 2005 – Malini Hariharan (Vocal) 2005 – A. Ananthapadmanabhan (Veena) 2005 – Guruvayur Dwari (Mridangam) 2005 – Trichur P. Govindankutty (Nadaswaram) 2006 – G. Seethalakshmi Ammal (Vocal) 2006 – Pazhayannur K. G. Krishnankutty (Nadaswaram) 2006 – Trichur C. Rajendran (Violin) 2006 – Alappuzha Chandrasekharan Nair (Thalavadyam) 2007 – Chalakudy N. S. Balakrishnan 2007 – Varkala C. S. Jayaram 2007 – Thuravoor R. Narayana Panicker (Nadaswaram) 2007 – N. Hari (Mridangam) 2008 – Mukhathala Sivaji 2008 – T. M. Abdul Azeez (Violin) 2008 – Neyyattinkara Krishnan (Mukharsangh) 2008 – Kalyani Menon 2009 – Ayamkudi Mani 2009 – T. H. Subramaniam (Violin) 2009 – R. Karuna Moorthy (Thakil) 2009 – Palakkad K. Jayakrishnan (Mridangam) 2010 – Shertallay K. N. Renganatha Sharma (Vocal) 2010 – K. V. Prasad (Mridangam) 2010 – T. H. Lalitha (Violin) 2011 – Kavalam Sreekumar 2011 – Ramesh Narayan 2011 – Orumanayoor O. K. Gopi (Nadaswaram) 2012 – Trivandrum Krishnakumar 2012 – Binni Krishnakumar 2012 – Vanaja Sankar 2013 – Sreevalsan J. Menon 2013 – M. K. Sankaran Namboothiri 2013 – Kuzhalmannam G. Ramakrishnan (Mridangam) 2013 – Adichanallur Anilkumar (Ghatam) 2014 – P. Unnikrishnan (Carnatic Music) 2014 – Paul Poovathingal (Carnatic Music) 2014 – Attukal Balasubramaniam (Violin) 2014 – G. Babu (Mridangam) 2015 – Mavelikkara P. Subramaniam 2015 – S. R. Mahadeva Sarma (Violin) 2015 – S. R. Rajasree (Violin) 2015 – Nanjil A. R. Arul (Mridangam) 2016 – V. V. Ravi (Violin) 2016 – Trivandrum R. Vaidhyanathan (Mridangam) 2016 – Adoor P. Sudarsanan (Carnatic Music) 2017 – M. Narmadha (Violin) 2017 – Cherthala R Jayadevan (Mridangam) 2017 – Thamarakkad Govindan Namboothiri (Carnatic Music) 2018 – Arakkal Nandakumar (Music) 2018 – Retnasree Iyer (Tabla) 2019 – Nemmara N. R. Kannan (Nadaswaram) 2019 – Anayadi Prasad (Music) 2020 – K. Venkitaraman (Vocal) 2020 – Babu Narayanan (Violin) 2020 – Premkumar Vadakara (Music Direction) 2021 – Kollam V. Sajikumar (Vocal) 2021 – N. P. Prabhakaran (Music) 2022 – Palakkad Sreeram (Classical Music) 2022 – Thiruvizha Viju S. Anand (Violin) 2022 – Alappuzha S. Vijayakumar (Thavil) 2022 – Prakash Ulleri (Harmonium/Keyboard) 2023 – Nisa Azeezi (Music & Music Direction) 2023 – Sharreth (Music Direction) 2023 – Sampath Narayanan (Violin)

Drama

1962 – Mavelikkara Ponnamma 1966 – Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar 1969 – Artist P. J. Cherian 1969 – N. N. Pillai 1971 – Kodungallur Ammini Amma 1972 – Swami Brahmavruthan 1973 – N. Krishna Pillai 1973 – Oachira P. K. Sankarankutty Nair 1974 – Pariyanampatta Divakaran 1974 – C. K. Rajam 1975 – T. R. Sukumaran Nair 1975 – K. P. A. C. Sulochana 1976 – K. V. Neelakantan Nair (Green Room) 1976 – Vijayakumari 1977 – Kunjandi 1977 – Omana 1978 – Kalaikkal Kumaran 1978 – Kozhikode Santha Devi 1978 – Artist Kesavan (Rangasilpam) 1979 – Thoppil Krishna Pillai 1979 – Chachappan 1980 – Vasu Pradeep 1980 – Mavelikkara Kamalamma 1981 – K. M. Raghavan Nambiar 1981 – M. S. Namboothiri 1981 – Sudharma 1982 – Vaikom Mani 1982 – N. S. Ittan 1982 – O. Madhavan 1982 – T. P. Gopalan 1982 – Adoor Bhavani 1983 – Jagathy N. K. Achary 1983 – Nellimoodu K. Ramakrishna Pillai (Green Room) 1985 – V. T. Vikraman Nair 1986 – K. G. Sethunath 1987 – D. K. Chellappan 1989 – Changanassery Natarajan 1990 – Vakkom Shakeer 1991 – Pappukutty Bhagavathar 1991 – William D'Cruz 1991 – S. L. Puram Sadanandan 1991 – P. N. Nanappan 1992 – Sreemoolanagaram Mohan 1993 – P. R. Chandran 1993 – T. M. Abraham 1994 – Kadavoor G. Chandran Pillai 1994 – Madavoor Bhasi 1994 – Trichur Elsi 1995 – P. K. Venukuttan Nair 1995 – Ibrahim Vengara 1996 – P. K. Raghavan 1996 – K. G. Devaki Amma 1997 – K. Thayat 1997 – Maya Narayanan 1997 – Saithan Joseph 1998 – T. V. Gopinath (Direction) 1998 – N. G. Panicker 1999 – K. M. Dharman (Direction) 1999 – K. P. A. C. Rajamma (Actress) 2000 – K. K. Jacob 2000 – N. Somasundaram 2001 – K. S. Namboothiri (Script) 2002 – Nilambur Ayisha 2002 – Vayala Vasudevan Pillai 2002 – P. V. Kuriakose (Script) 2003 – A. A. Chandrahasan 2003 – V. Chandransekharan Vaidyar 2004 – Paravur George 2004 – K. P. A. C. Sunny 2004 – Krishnakumari 2005 – M. S. Warrier 2005 – Ammini Ernest 2005 – Nelson Fernandez (Script, Direction) 2006 – Sreedharan Nileshwaram 2006 – Leela Panicker 2006 – Karivellur Murali (Script) 2007 – Haridas Cherukunnu 2007 – V. R. Santha 2008 – C. L. Jose (Script) 2008 – Karakulam Chandran (Direction) 2008 – P. Balachandran (Script) 2008 – Sreekala V. K. 2009 – P. Gangadharan (Direction) 2009 – Savithri Sreedharan (Actress) 2009 – Sathish Sangamithra (Actor, Direction) 2009 – G. Gopalakrishnan (Script) 2010 – Geetha Salam 2010 – Jayaraj Warrier (Drama, Caricature) 2010 – K. P. Gopalan (Direction) 2010 – A. E. Ashraf (Light) 2011 – Meenambalam Santhosh 2011 – Deepan Sivaraman 2011 – K. G. Ramu (Make-up) 2012 – Adv. Manilal (Script) 2012 – Abhilash Pillai (Director) 2012 – Pattanam Rasheed (Make-up) 2013 – Ramesh Varma (Direction) 2013 – Rajan Kizhakkanela (Script) 2014 – Prof. Aliyar V. Kunju 2014 – Manu Jose 2014 – R. Sudhakaran 2014 – Shibu S. Kottaram 2015 – Sherly Somasundharam (Children's Drama) 2015 – Geetha Rangaprabhath (Children's Drama) 2015 – Francis T. Mavelikkara 2015 – Girish Sopanam 2015 – Sreekanth 2015 – Jose Koshy (Lighting) 2015 – Pradeep Thalayal (Sound arrangement) 2016 – Kozhikode Sarada (Actress) 2016 – A. Santha Kumar (Script, Direction) 2016 – C. K. Sasi (Script) 2017 – Jayaprakash Karyal 2017 – Kannur Vasutti 2017 – Pradeep Roy 2017 – Sandhya Rajendran 2018 – K. R. Ramesh 2018 – P. J. Unnikrishnan 2018 – Sasikumar Souparnika 2018 – M. V. Sherly 2019 – John Fernadaz 2019 – Narippatta Raju 2019 – K. P. Suveeran 2019 – Saheerali 2019 – Sajitha Madathil 2020 – Rajani Meloor 2020 – E. A. Rajendran 2020 – Pradeep Malavika 2020 – Sureshbabu T. 2020 – Gopalan Adat 2020 – C. N. Sreevalsan 2021 – Mangalan K. P. A. C. (Actor) 2021 – Maniyappan Aranmula 2021 – Babu Pallassery (Script, Direction, Actor) 2021 – A. N. Murugan (Actor) 2021 – Rajmohan Neeleswaram (Script, Direction) 2021 – Sudhi Nireeksha (Actress, Direction) 2022 – Valsan Nisari 2022 – Babu Annur 2022 – Suresh Babu Sreestha 2022 – Lenin Edakochi 2022 – Rajitha Madhu 2022 – Kottakkal Murali

Kathakali

1962 – Chenganoor Raman Pillai 1964 – Kurichi Kunjan Panicker 1964 – Manjeri Sankunni Nair (Madhalam) 1969 – Champakulam Pachu Pillai 1969 – Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair 1969 – Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair 1971 – Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan 1971 – Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval (Chenda) 1972 – Guru Gopala Panicker 1973 – Kadathanattu Kochu Govindan Asan 1973 – Kottakkal Kuttan Marar (Chenda) 1973 – Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval (Madhalam) 1974 – Kavungal Sankarankutty Panicker 1976 – Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair 1977 – Cherthala Kuttappa Kurup (Music) 1978 – Pallippuram Gopalan Nair 1979 – Kottakkal Vasu Nedungadi (Music) 1980 – Kalamandalam Govinda Warrier (Make-up) 1981 – Thakazhi Kuttan Pillai (Music) 1981 – Chalakudy Narayanan Nambeesan (Madhalam) 1982 – K. P. Ramakrishna Panicker (Make-up) 1982 – Kalamandalam Achunni Poduval (Chenda) 1983 – Mekkara Narayanan Nair 1985 – Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair 1985 – Chandra Mannadiyar (Chenda) 1986 – Oyoor Kochugovinda Pillai 1987 – Kana Kannan Nair 1988 – Kannan Pattali 1989 – Mankompu Sivasankara Pillai 1991 – Guru Krishnankutty 1991 – Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair 1992 – Guru Kelu Nair 1993 – Cherthala Thankappa Panicker 1994 – Chandramana Govindan Namboothiri 1995 – Kalamandalam Gopi 1996 – Kottakkal Sivaraman 1997 – Kalamandalam Kesavan (Melam) 1998 – Kalamandalam Gangadharan (Music) 1999 – Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri (Vesham) 2000 – Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair (Vesham) 2001 – Pandalam Kerala Varma 2001 – Sadanam Sreedharan (Madhalam) 2001 – Varanasi Madhavan Namboothiri (Chenda) 2002 – Sadanam Krishnankutty (Vesham) 2003 – Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody 2003 – Thonnakkal Peethambaran 2005 – Mudakkal Gopinathan Nair (Music) 2006 – Kalamandalam K. G. Vasudevan Nair (Vesham) 2009 – Kottakal Nandakumaran Nair (Vesham) 2009 – Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan (Music) 2010 – FACT Padmanabhan (Vesham) 2010 – Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri (Music) 2010 – Kalamandalam Narayanan Nair (Madhalam) 2010 – Mathoor Govindan Kutty (Vesham) 2011 – Inchakkattu Ramachandran Pillai 2011 – Sreenarayanapuram Appu Marar (Chenda) 2012 – Kalamandalam V. Subramanian 2014 – Sadanam K. Harikumaran 2015 – Kuroor Vasudevan Namboodiri (Chenda) 2016 – Kottakkal Chandrasekhara Warrier (Vesham)