| Year |
Recipients |
Ref. |
| 1986 | Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, M. Krishnan Nair, Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, P. Bhaskaran, T. S. Muthaiah, K. Raghavan, Jose Prakash, A. M. Rajah, Vaikom Mani, Kamukara Purushothaman, Vanchiyoor Madhavan Nair, Nagavally R. S. Kurup, Aranmula Ponnamma, P. Leela, Padmini, K. P. Udayabhanu, Santha P. Nair, Krishna Elamon, T. E. Vasudevan, K. Aniyan | |
| 1987 | Alleppey Vincent, R. N. Pillai, V. Dakshinamoorthy, Kozhikode Santha Devi, Jagathy N. K. Achary, C. S. Radhadevi, K. Gopinath |
| 1988 | Devaki Bhai, T. N. Gopinathan Nair, P. A. Thomas |
| 1989 | Ponkunnam Varkey, Abhayadev, Kalaikkal Kumaran, Adoor Pankajam, C. O. Anto |
| 1990 | Pankajavalli, P. K. Sarangapani, Kaviyoor Revamma, T. K. Balachandran, A. Vincent, J. D. Thottan |
| 1991 | K. T. Muhammed, E. N. C. Nair, Prem Nawas, Crossbelt Mani, Sreelatha |
| 1992 | Neyyattinkara Komalam, G. Vivekanandan, G. K. Pillai, K. P. Kottarakkara, U. Rajagopal |
| 1993 | P. Ramdas, V. Karunakaran, R.S. Prabhu, Adoor Bhavani |
| 1994 | — |
| 1995 | K. S. Sethumadhavan, K. G. Jayan, Sobhana Parameswaran Nair, M. O. Devasiya, T. R. Omana |
| 1996 | Sankaradi, M. K. Arjunan, Kanmani Babu, Anandavally, P. N. Menon |
| 1997 | Paravoor Bharathan, Pappanamkodu Lakshmanan, E. N. Balakrishnan, Philomina, P. I. A. Kasim |
| 1998 | Vipindas, N. G. John, K. P. Brahmanandan, A. Raghunath |
| 1999 | Pala Thankam, T. N. Krishnankutty Nair, Kaduvakkulam Antony, P. T. Xavier, Dr. Balakrishnan |
| 2000 | B. A. Chidambaranath, C. Ramachandra Menon, P. G. Viswambharan, Mankombu Gopalakrishnan, Khadeeja |
| 2001 | K. P. A. C. Sunny, S. Janaki, Sreekumaran Thampi |
| 2002 | John Sankaramangalam, Kuttyedathi Vilasini, Bharanikkavu Sivakumar, Pappukutty Bhagavathar |
| 2003 | T. P. Madhavan, Latha Raju, Pukazhenthi, K. S. Gopalakrishnan, Hari |
| 2004 | Poovachal Khader, M. G. Radhakrishnan, Vidhubala, M. Ramachandran, Chandramohan |
| 2005 | Srividya, K. G. Markose, Venu, Sankaran Kutty, Sivan |
| 2006 | M. M. Nesan, Guru Gopalakrishnan, L. R. Eswari |
| 2007 | P. K. Nair, Valsala Menon, K. P. Thomas |
| 2008 | E. K. Thyagarajan, Major Stanley, Machad Vasanthi |
| 2009 | Raghavan, Venu Nagavally, Sujatha Mohan |
| 2010 | Jagannatha Varma, Bichu Thirumala, Santhakumari |
| 2011 | Janardhanan, N. L. Balakrishnan, Thodupuzha Vasanthi |
| 2012 | Jerry Amaldev, Poojappura Ravi, Jayabharathi | |
| 2013 | T. G. Ravi, Mala Aravindan, A. J. Joseph | |
| 2014 | Nilambur Ayisha, Bhagyalakshmi, Perumbavoor G. Raveendranath | |
| 2015 | Kaviyoor Sivaprasad, Bichu Thirumala, Mallika Sukumaran | |
| 2016 | Fazil, Ramachandra Babu, Shanthi Krishna | |
| 2017 | Balu Kiriyath, Devan, Jalaja | |
| 2018 | Kaithapram Damodaran, P. Sreekumar, Lalu Alex, Menaka, Bhagyalakshmi | |
| 2019 | S. Kumar, Nemam Pushparaj, Sethulakshmi, Kollam Mohan | |
| 2020 | Mamukkoya, Sai Kumar, Bindu Panicker | |
| 2021 | Revathi, Urvashi, Babu Namboothiri, Kochu Preman | |
| 2022 | Shobana, Vijayaraghavan, Vineeth, Gayathri Ashokan, Mohan D. Kurichy | |