Bollywood lyricist-scriptwriter Javed Akhtar, Hindi novelist Mridula Garg and renowned Bengali poet Subodh Sarkar are among those selected for this year’s Sahitya Akademi Award.
The Akademi said eight books of poetry, four essays, three novels, two short stories, two travelogues, an autobiography, a memoir and one play have been chosen for the coveted award.
“We couldn’t announce the award in Assamese and Gujarati language due to some unavoidable reasons. We will announce those awards very soon,” K. Sreenivasarao, Secretary, Sahitya Akademi told reporters today.
Akhtar has been chosen for “Lava”, his compilation of 55 Urdu poems.
The Awards are recommended by distinguished jury members, representing 22 Indian languages and approved by the Executive Board of the Akademi, which met today under the Chair of Sahitya Akademi President Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari.
The award, a literary honour conferred to writers for their outstanding works in the field of literature, is scheduled to be conferred here on March 11 during the annual Akademi’s Festival of Letters.
“We are happy to say that this year we’ve been able to confer awards in each category...from poetries, novels, essay collections to autobiography, play and travelogues,” Mr. Sreenivasarao said.
Short story category award was bagged by Temsula Ao (English -- Laburnum for my head), Mohi-ud-Din Reshi (Kashmiri -- Aina Aatash).
C N Ramachandran (Kannada – Akyana-Vyakyana), Tukaram Rama Shet (Konkani -- Manmotayam), Satish Kalasekar (Marathi -- Vachanaryachi Rojanishee) and Katyani Vidmahe (Telugu -- Sahityaakashmlo Sagam) bagged the award for their respective book of essays.
Makhonmani Mongsaba (Manipuri -- Chinglon Amadagi Amada) and Man Bhadhur Pradhan (Nepali --Manka Lahar Ra Raharharu) have been chosen for their travelogues.
The bulk of the awards went to poets. Subodh Sarkar (Bengali -- Dwaipayan Hrader Dhare), Anil Boro (Bodo -- Delphini Onthai Mwdai Arw Gubun Gubun Khonthai) Sitaram Sapolia (Dogri -- Doha Satsai), Ambika Dutt (Rajasthani -- Aanthyoi Nahi Din Hal) Radhakant Thakur (Sanskri -- Chaladuravani), Arjun Charan Hembram (Santhali— Chanda Bonga) and Namdev Tarachandani (Sindhi—Mansh—Nagari).
Mridula Garg (Hindi -- Miljul Man), >R N Joe D’ Cruz (Tamil -- Korkai) and Manmohan (Punjabi -- Nirvaan) won it for novels.
Sureshwar Jha (Maithili -- Sangharsh Aa Sehanta) won the award for memoir, M.N Paloor (Malayalam -- Kathayillathavante Katha) for autobiography and Bijoy Mishra (Odiya -- Banaprastha) for a play.
