Chennai, Jul 28 (IANS): Veteran Communist leader N. Sankaraiah, who recently turned 100, will be bestowed with the first 'Thagaisal Thamizhar' award, which has been instituted this year by the Tamil Nadu government to honour a distinguished Tamil personality.

An official statement from the Chief Minister's Office said that a high-power committee chaired by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, which met at the state secretariat on Wednesday, zeroed in on Sankaraiah as the first recipient of the Thagaisal Thamizhar award.

"The meeting decided to honour veteran Marxist leader N. Sankaraiah, who entered public life at a young age, led as a student leader, turned into a freedom fighter and eventually served the people by being elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly," the statement said.

The award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a certificate, will be handed over to Sankaraiah by Stalin during the Independence day celebrations in Chennai.