Poet and lyricist O.N.V. Kurup will be honoured with the first Shakespeare Velayudhan Nair Award for his comprehensive achievement in Malayalam literature and language.

Kurup will receive a cash prize of Rs.20,001, a citation and a statuette. The award has been instituted by Prof. Velayudhan Nair Foundation.

Kurup will be conferred the award at a ceremony to be held Saturday at Kollam Chinnakada CSI Convention centre.

T.K.A. Nair, adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will present the award to Kurup.

Professor Velayudhan Nair's mastery over Shakespeare's plays and his teaching skills earned him the title of 'Shakespeare' Velayudhan Nair.