Tamil writer Jayamohan has announced the Living Tamil Award for World Literature, carrying a prize of ₹1 crore. The award will be presented for outstanding works in world and Indian literature. The prize amount will be around $100,000, and the winner will be announced simultaneously in New Delhi and New York City.

Expressing his anger and condemnation over the conferment of the Jnanpith Award on lyricist Vairamuthu, Mr Jayamohan said there was no need to stand before the Jnanpith.

He said many women had called him and stressed the need to create “our own award for ourselves”. “Many said they would donate their jewels for instituting the award,” he said.

Mr Jayamohan said it would be India’s biggest literary award.