a. Novels The first novel published in Tamil was Prathaba Mudaliar Sarithiram. Vedanayagam Pillai who lived in the 19th century wrote this novel. Now there are a number of novels in Tamil. Among the recent novelists Akilan, N. Parthasarathi, Jayagandhan, Sandilyan Ashoka Mitram and others are eminent writers. Mu. Varadarajan's Kallo Kaviyamo, Nencil Oru Mul and Akal Vilakku, Akilan's Pavvai Vilakku and Nencin Alikal, Parthasarathy's Kurincimalar and Ponvilangu, Sandilyan's Yavana Rani, Kadal Pura, and Raja Muthirai, etc, are excellent works in the sphere of Tamil novels. Also Akilan received the `Gnana Peeth Award' for his novel, Cithirappavai.