| S.No. | Name | Work | Language | Year |
| 1. | Raghuveer Chaudhari | For notable contribution to Gujarati literature | Gujarati | 2015 |
| 2. | Balachandra Nemade | For notable contribution to Marathi literature | Marathi | 2014 |
| 3. | Kedarnath Singh | Hindi | 2013 | |
| 4. | Ravuri Bharadhwaja | For notable contribution to Telugu literature | Telugu | 2012 |
| 5. | Pratibha Ray | Yajnaseni | Oriya | 2011 |
| 6. | Chandrashekhara Kambara | For contributions to Kannada literature | Kannada | 2010 |
| 7. | Amar Kant | Hindi | 2009 | |
| 8. | Sri Lal Sukla | Hindi | 2009 | |
| 9. | Akhlaq Mohammed Khan Shahryar | Urdu | 2008 | |
| 10. | O. N. V. Kurup | For contributions to Malayalam literature | Malayalam | 2007 |
| 11. | Ravindra Kelekar | Konkani | 2006 | |
| 12. | Satya Vrat Shastri | Sanskrit | 2006 | |
| 13. | Kunwar Narayan | Hindi | 2005 | |
| 14. | Rehman Rahi | Subhuk Soda, Kalami Rahi and Siyah Rode Jaren Manz | Kashmiri | 2004 |
| 15. | Vinda Karandikar | Ashtadarshana (poetry) | Marathi | 2003 |
| 16. | D. Jayakanthan | Tamil | 2002 | |
| 17. | Rajendra Shah | Gujarati | 2001 | |
| 18. | Indira Goswami | Assamese | 2000 | |
| 19. | Nirmal Verma | Hindi | 1999 | |
| 20. | Gurdial Singh | Punjabi | 1999 | |
| 21. | Girish Karnad | For contributions to Kannada literature and theatre | Kannada | 1998 |
| 22. | Ali Sardar Jafri | Urdu | 1997 | |
| 23. | Mahasweta Devi | Hajar Churashir Maa | Bengali | 1996 |
| 24. | M. T. Vasudevan Nair | For contributions to Malayalam literature | Malayalam | 1995 |
| 25. | U. R. Ananthamurthy | For contributions to Kannada literature | Kannada | 1994 |
| 26. | Sitakant Mahapatra | For contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature | Oriya | 1993 |
| 27. | Naresh Mehta | For contribution to Hindi literature | Hindi | 1992 |
| 28. | Subhas Mukhopadhyay | Padatik (The Foot Soldier) | Bengali | 1991 |
| 29. | V. K. Gokak (Vinayaka Krishna Gokak) | Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi | Kannada | 1990 |
| 30. | Qurratulain Hyder | Akhire Shab Ke Humsafar | Urdu | 1989 |
| 31. | C. Narayana Reddy | Viswambhara | Telugu | 1988 |
| 32. | Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj) | For contributions in Marathi literature | Marathi | 1987 |
| 33. | Sachidananda Routray | Oriya | 1986 | |
| 34. | Pannalal Patel | Maanavi Ni Bhavaai | Gujarati | 1985 |
| 35. | Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai | Kayar (Coir) | Malayalam | 1984 |
| 36. | Masti Venkatesha Iyengar | Chikkaveera Rajendra (Life and struggle of Kodava King Chikkaveera Rajendra) | Kannada | 1983 |
| 37. | Mahadevi Varma | Yama | Hindi | 1982 |
| 38. | Amrita Pritam | Kagaj te Canvas | Punjabi | 1981 |
| 39. | S. K. Pottekkatt | Oru Desathinte Katha (Story of a Land) | Malayalam | 1980 |
| 40. | Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya | Mrityunjay (Immortal) | Assamese | 1979 |
| 41. | Sachchidananda Vatsyayan | Kitni Navon Men Kitni Bar (How many times in how many boats?) | Hindi | 1978 |
| 42. | K. Shivaram Karanth | Mookajjiya Kanasugalu (Mookajjis dreams) | Kannada | 1977 |
| 43. | Ashapurna Devi | Pratham Pratisruti | Bengali | 1976 |
| 44. | P. V. Akilan | Chitttrappavai | Tamil | 1975 |
| 45. | Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar | Yayati | Marathi | 1974 |
| 46. | Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre | Nakutanti (Four Strings) | Kannada | 1973 |
| 47. | Gopinath Mohanty | Matimatal | Oriya | 1973 |
| 48. | Ramdhari Singh Dinkar | Urvashi | Hindi | 1972 |
| 49. | Bishnu Dey | Smriti Satta Bhavishyat | Bengali | 1971 |
| 50. | Viswanatha Satyanarayana | Ramayana Kalpavrukshamu (A resourceful tree:Ramayana) | Telugu | 1970 |
| 51. | Firaq Gorakhpuri | Gul-e-Naghma | Urdu | 1969 |
| 52. | Sumitranandan Pant | Chidambara | Hindi | 1968 |
| 53. | Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa (Kuvempu) | Sri Ramayana Darshanam | Kannada | 1967 |
| 54. | Umashankar Joshi | Nishitha | Gujarati | 1967 |
| 55. | Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay | Ganadevta | Bengali | 1966 |
| 56. | G. Sankara Kurup | Odakkuzhal | Malayalam | 1965 |