Sahitya Akademi Award is an exceedingly prestigious literary honour, given away by the Sahitya Akademi, an Indian version of the National Academy of Letters, earning prestige from every international corner, with able guidance from the Government of India. First formed in 1954, the Sahitya Akademi Awards have travelled a long journey to where it presently is, awarding and honouring all the 24 recognised Indian regional languages and their writers, contributing whole-heartedly by performing splendidly. The Sahitya Akademi Awards in Tamil literature has been historical in its evolution, as is stated below. No awards had been granted in Tamil in years 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964 and 1976.
| Year | Book | Author |
| 2009 | Kaioppam (Poetry) | Puviarasu |
| 2008 | Minsarapoo (Short story) | Melanmai Ponnusamy |
| 2007 | Ilai Uthir Kaalam (Novel) | Neela Padmanabhan |
| 2006 | Akayathukku Aduthaveedu (Poetry) | Mu. Metha |
| 2005 | Kalmaram (Novel) | G. Thilakavathi |
| 2004 | Vanakkam Valluva (Poetry) | Tamilanban |
| 2003 | Kallikattu Ithikasam (Novel) | R. Vairamuthu |
| 2002 | Oru Giraamattu Nadi (Poems) | Sirpi Balasubramaniam |
| 2001 | Sutanthira Daagam (Novel) | S. Chellappa |
| 2000 | Vimarsanangal Mathippuraikal Pettikal (Criticism) | Thi. Ka. Sivasankaran |
| 1999 | Aalapanai (Poetry) | S. Abdul Rahman |
| 1998 | Vicharanai Commission (Novel) | Sa. Kandasamy |
| 1997 | Chaivu Narkali (Novel) | Thoppil Mohamed Miran |
| 1996 | Appavin Snehidar (Short stories) | Ashokamitran |
| 1995 | Vanam Vasappadum (Novel) | Prapanchan |
| 1994 | Pudhiya Dharsanangal (Novel) | Ponneelan (Kandeswara Bhaktvalsalan) |
| 1993 | Kathukal (Novel) | M.V. Venkataram |
| 1992 | Kutralakurinji (Historic Novel) | Kove. Manisekaran |
| 1991 | Gopallapurathu Makkal (Novel) | Ki. Rajanarayanan |
| 1990 | Veril Pazhutha Pala (Novel) | Su. Samuthiram |
| 1989 | Chintanadi (Autobiographical Essays) | L.S. Ramamirtham |
| 1988 | Vazhum Valluvam (Literary criticism) | V.C. Kulandaiswamy |
| 1987 | Mudalil Iravu Varum (Short stories) | Aadhavan Sundaram |
| 1986 | Ilakkiyathukku oru Iyakkam (Literary criticism) | Ka. Naa. Subramanyam |
| 1985 | Kamban: Putiya Parvai (Literary criticism) | A.S. Gnanasambandan |
| 1984 | Oru Kaveriyai Pola (Novel) | Thirupurasundari `Lakhmi` |
| 1983 | Bharathi: Kalamum Karuthum (Literary criticism) | T.M.C. Raghunathan |
| 1982 | Manikkodikalam (Literary history) | B.S. Ramaiya |
| 1981 | Puthiya Urai Nadai (Criticism) | M. Ramalingam |
| 1980 | Cheraman Kadali (Novel) | Kannadasan |
| 1979 | Sakthi-Vaithiyam (Short stories) | T. Janakiraman |
| 1978 | Pudukavithaiyin Thottramum Valarchiyum (Criticism) | Vallikannan |
| 1977 | Kuruthi-P-Punal (Novel) | `Indira` Parthasarathi |
| 1975 | Tharkkala Tamizh Illakkiyam (Literary criticism) | R. Dhandayudham |
| 1974 | Thirukkural Nedhi Illakkiyam (Literary criticism) | K.D. Thirunavukkarasu |
| 1973 | Verukku Neer (Novel) | Rajam Krishnan |
| 1972 | Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal (Novel) | D. Jayakanthan |
| 1971 | Samudaya Veedhi (Novel) | Naa. Parthasarathy |
| 1970 | Anbalippu (Short stories) | G. Alagirisami |
| 1969 | Pisirantaiyar (Play) | Bharatidasan |
| 1968 | Vellai Paravai (Poetry) | A. Srinivasa Raghavan |
| 1967 | Virar Ulagam (Literary criticism) | K.V. Jagannathan |
| 1966 | Vallalar Kanda Orumaippadu (Biography) | M.P. Sivagnanam |
| 1965 | Sri Ramanujar (Biography) | P. Sri Acharya |
| 1963 | Vengaiyin Maindhan (Novel) | `Akilon` (P.V. Akilandam) |
| 1962 | Akkarai Cheemaiyil (Travelogue) | Somu (Mi. Pa. Somasundaram) |
| 1961 | Agal Vilakku (Novel) | Mu. Varadarajan |
| 1958 | Chakravarti Tirumagan (Ramayana retold in prose) | C. Rajagopalachari |
| 1956 | Alai Osai (Novel) | R. Krishnamurti `Kalki` |
| 1955 | Tamil Inbam (Essays) | R.P. Sethu Pillai |
