SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARDS 2023: CELEBRATING LITERARY EXCELLENCE

TAG: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE

THE CONTEXT: The Sahitya Akademi Awards for the year 2023 have been announced, recognizing exceptional literary works across various Indian languages.

EXPLANATION:

• These awards, bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi—an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry—aim to honour authors and their contributions to literature.

Awardees and Recognized Works

• Literary Diversity
  • Tamil:
    • Rajasekaran (Devibharathi) received the award for his novel “Neervazhi Padooum.”
  • Telugu:
    • Patanjali Sastry was honored for his Telugu short story collection “Rameshwaram Kaakulu Marikonni Kathalu.”
  • Malayalam:
    • V. Ramakrishnan was recognized for his literary study “Malayala Novelinte Deshakalangal.”

Categories of Recognition

• Poetry:
  • Acknowledged authors include Vijay Verma in Dogri, Vinod Joshi in Gujarati, Manshoor Banihali in Kashmiri, Ashutosh Parida in Odia, and Arun Ranjan Mishra in Sanskrit.
• Novels:
  • Noteworthy works like Neelum Saran Gour’s “Requim in Raga Janaki” (English) and Swapnamay Chakrabarti’s “Jaler Upar Pani” (Bengali) were recognized.
• Essays:
  • Lakshmisha Tolpadi’s collection “Mahabharatha Anusandhanada Bharathayatre” in Kannada stood out.

Selection Process and Criteria

• The awards, recommended by distinguished jury members across 24 languages, were approved by the Sahitya Akademi’s Executive Board.
• These accolades pertain to books first published between January 2017 and December 31, 2021.

Recognition and Ceremony Details

• Each recipient will be presented with an award consisting of an engraved copper-plaque, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1,00,000.
• The award presentation ceremony is scheduled for March 12, 2024, where the awardees will be honoured for their literary contributions.

Significance of Sahitya Akademi:

• The Sahitya Akademi, established in 1954, stands as an independent institution committed to the advancement and promotion of literature in Indian languages.
• These awards not only acknowledge literary excellence but also encourage and celebrate diverse voices and languages across the country.
• The Sahitya Akademi supports work in the 24 languages, 22 of which are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, alongside English and Rajasthani.
• The General Council of the Sahitya Akademi operates for a term of five years.
• It consists of the president and vice president along with other members.
• The President is generally chosen from among the members who is generally a distinguished personality of the literary field.

Conclusion

• The Sahitya Akademi Awards for 2023 serve as a testament to the literary brilliance and diversity prevalent across various Indian languages.
• By recognizing outstanding contributions across genres, these awards continue to uphold the significance of literature and its profound impact on society.
• These awards signify and honour the rich cultural heritage of India’s diverse linguistic landscape.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/books/sahitya-akademi-awards-for-2023-announced/article67658599.ece