The highest literary award in the country, Jnanpith awards for 2007 and 2008, have been won by Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala Ottaplavil Neelakandan Velu Kurup and Urdu poet Akhlaq Khan Shahryar respectively.

Popularly known as ONV, Kurup became the fifth Malayalee to get the award. The earlier awardees were G Sankara Kurup, S K Pottekad (1980), Thakazhi Siva Sankara Pillai (1984) and M T Vasudevan Nair (1995).

ONV, who was conferred with the Padmashri award in 1998, has been selected for this award for 2007.

Earlier in 1989, the 79-year-old poet won the national award for best lyricist for the film 'Vaishali'. He has also won 13 state film awards for the best lyricist.

On the other hand, Shahryar, famous for his songs in Rekha starrer 'Umrao Jaan', is an ''intellectual poet'', whose poetry strongly expresses an ''ideological non-commitment''.

He has also received numerous awards including Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy award, Sahitya Akademy award, Delhi Urdu Academy award and Firaq Sammaan.