The Thakazhi Memorial Award, created by the State Department of Cultural Affairs, was handed to Jnanpith laureate M.T. Vasudevan Nair on Monday at a reception held in Thunchanparamba, Tirur. The award consists of a gold medal and Rs 25,000. Thakazhi was born on 23 August 1914 in Alayamma, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala State. He completed his graduate studies in English at Madras University. After teaching for several years, he started writing poems at an early age. His first collection of poems, Deepalekhanam (1943), was followed by other volumes such as Kaavalinatha Kaviyoor Krishnankutty (1949), Kalippila (1951), Kandathumkara (1954), Pathirikkavu Sookshikkanum Vaidyar (1956) and Manushyaputhran (1959). His poems have been translated into many languages including German, French, Russian and Malayalam. Some of his well-known poems are "Kerala kaaranangal", "Poomaram" and "Mannadi". He died on 4 May 1980 at the young age of 52.