Dr. Ambedkar Sahitya Shri National Award was presented to the writer Dr. Arunkumar S Haripad ,by National President Dr. S. P. Sumanakshar at the 40th National Conference of Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi. The award is in recognition of social service, work for the upliftment of the downtrodden and backward classes in India and abroad, and commendable service in the field of literature. The award consists of a memento, a citation and a cash award.

Enjoying life with art and literature Dr. Arun Kumar S, also known by the pen name Ezhuthalan, is a poet of the moment. Dr. Arun Kumar, an English lecturer in the Vocational Higher Secondary Department residing at Haripad, has devoted his life to literary work along with his teaching job. Dr. Arun Kumar has also written many poems in English. It is noteworthy that his poems and books in English have attracted attention among Malayalis around the world. No matter what subject, he will write poems in the spur of the moment.