Sahitya Akademi Award

Infobox Indian Awards
awardname = Sahitya Akademi Award


type =
category = Literature (Individual)
instituted = 1954
firstawarded = 1954
lastawarded = 2007
total =
awardedby = Sahitya Akademi, Government of India
cashaward =
description = Literary award in India
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website= http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa1.htmThe Sahitya Akademi Award (साहित्य अकादमी पुरूस्कार) is a literary honour in India. Established in 1954, and awarded yearly by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters [ [http://society.indianetzone.com/literature/1/sahitya_academy_awards.htm Sahitya Akademi Awards] ] , to outstanding literary works published in any of the twenty four major languages of India. [http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa1.htm Award history, Awards and Fellowships] Sahitya Akademi Official website.] The award carries a monetary component(Rs. 50, 000) and a plaque. It is the second-highest literary honour conferred by the Government of India, the hihest award being, the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship.

The Award

The award carries a monetary component (Rupees 50,000) and a plaque. Sahitya Akademy gives twenty-four awards to literary works in the languages, and are given after a year-long process of scrutiny, discussion and selection.

The awards are given in 24 Indian languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu [ [http://www.sahitya-akademi.org/sahitya-akademi/awa10301.htm Sahitya Akademi Awards 1955-2005, Official listings] ] .

The awards are meant to recognise and promote excellence in Indian writing and expanding the very definition of Indian literature by acknowledging new trends and movements. They are a reflection of current tastes and contribute to the formation of an Indian sensibility.

Other Awards

Sahitya Akademi Fellowships

It is the highest honour [ [http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa2.htm Sahitya Akademi Fellowships] ] conferred by the Akademi, and the Akademi has a system of electing Fellows and Honorary Fellows

Anand Coomarswamy Fellowships

Named after an Indian literary giant, Ananda Coomaraswamy, the fellowship was started in 1996. It is given to scholars from Asian countries to spend periods varying from 3 to 12 months in India to pursue a literary project [ [http://www.sahitya-akademi.org/sahitya-akademi/awa3.htm Anand Coomarswamy and Premchand Fellowships] ] .

Premchand Fellowships

Started in 2005, this fellowship, name after noted Hindi writer Premchand, is offered to persons of eminence in the field of Culture from the SAARC countries.

Bhasha Samman

These special awards are given to writers/scholars for significant contribution to the languages not formally recognised by the Akademi and also for contribution to classical & medieval Literature. The awards carries a plaque and a cash prize of i.e. Rs.50,000/- [ [http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa4.htm Bhasha Awards] ] .

Translation Awards

The Akademi gives awards for translation in the 24 languages recognised by it every year, since 1989. The award carries a monetary component (Rs. 20, 000) and a plaque.

Recent Awards

2006

* Assamese: Cheneh Jorir Ganthi (Short Stories) - Atulananda Goswami
* Telugu: Ashtitvanadam Aavali Teerana (Short Stories) - Munipalle Raju

2005

*Assamese: Yeshe Dorje Thongchi - Mouna Ounth Mukhar Hriday (Novel)
*Bengali: Binoy Mazumdar - Haspatale Lekha Kabitaguchha (Poetry)
*Bodo: Mangalsingh Hazowary - Jiuni Mwgthang Bisombi Arw Aroj (Poetry)
*Dogri: Krishan Sharma - Dhaldi Dhuppe Da Sek (Short Stories)
*English: Upamanyu Chatterjee - The Mammaries of the Welfare State (Novel)
*Gujrati: Suresh Dalal - Akhand Zalar Vage (Poetry)
*Hindi: Manohar Shyam Joshi - Kyap (Novel)
*Telugu: Tana Margam (Short Stories) - Abburi Chayadevi

Indian Literature Golden Jubilee Translation Awards

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Indian Literature ("Samakaleen Bharatiya Sahitya" in Hindi), the bi-monthly journal of Sahitya Akademi, a nation-wide translation competition in Poetry, Fiction & Oral Literature was announced by the Akademi on July 29, 2007. The following are the prize-winners :-

Poetry

*1st Prize : Mr Rana Nayar, Professor in English, Punjab University, E-70, Sector-14, Chandigarh - 160 014.
*2nd Prize : Dr Tapan Kumar Pradhan, Member of Faculty, Reserve Bank of India, Zonal Training Centre, Sector - 7, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai - 400 614.)
*3rd Prize : Ms Paromita Das, 16, Pub Sarania, Silpukhuri, Guwahati - 781 003.

Fiction

*1st Prize : Subrata Banerjee, Visiting Professor, CRRID, Hooghly, West Bengal
*2nd Prize : Shoma A. Chatterjee (Film Journalist), 109/33, Hazra Road, Kolkata - 700 026.
*3rd Prize : Abha Shah,D-7, III Floor, Atur Park, Chembur, Mumbai - 400 171.

Oral Literature

*1st Prize : Subrata Basu, W2C 10/2 Phase II, Green Golf Complex, Kolkata - 700 095
*2st Prize : Nila Shah, Lecturer, Shri Jasani Arts & Commerce College, Rajkot.
*3rd Prize : Shweta Rao, Research Scholar, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Roorkee-247 667.

References

See also

* "Indian Literature"
* Sahitya Akademi Award to Bengali Writers
* List of winners of Sahitya Akademi Awards for writing in Rajasthani language
* Sahitya Akademi Award to Assamese Writers
* Sahitya Akademi Award to Marathi Writers
* Sahitya Akademi Award to Hindi Writers
* "Poetry Awards"

External links

* [http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa1.htm Sahitya Akademi Awards and Fellowships, Official wesbite]