Writer M T Vasudevan Nair was named the recipient of Kerala Jyothi, the highest civilian honour instituted by the state government as it announced the maiden Kerala awards.

• The awards have been instituted on the lines of the Padma awards given by the Union government.
• The Kerala Shree will be awarded to six persons – amphibian biologist Sathyabhamadas Biju, magician Gopinath Muthukad, sculptor Kanayi Kunjiraman, industrialist Kochouseph Chittilappilly, nuclear engineer M P Parameswaran and playback singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi.