The Sahitya Akademi Award is one of India’s most respected literary honours. Every year, it recognises outstanding books in many Indian languages. Here is how the award works.
About the Sahitya Akademi
The Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, was set up by the Government of India on 12 March 1954. It works as an autonomous body funded by the Ministry of Culture. Its aim is to promote Indian literature in all languages through awards, translations, publications and events.
Languages covered
The award is given in 24 languages:
- The 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
- English.
- Rajasthani.
How books are selected
The selection takes place in stages for each language:
- Books published in the five years before the award year are eligible.
- Experts prepare a ground list of eligible books.
- A panel of referees recommends books from this list.
- A three member jury for each language picks the winner.
- The Akademi’s Executive Board approves the jury’s choice.
Awards are usually announced towards the end of the year and presented early the next year.
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The prize
Each winner receives a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
Other Akademi honours
- Fellowship: the highest honour of the Akademi, given to a small number of eminent writers.
- Yuva Puraskar: for writers aged 35 years or below.
- Bal Sahitya Puraskar: for children’s literature.
- Translation Prize: for literary translations into Indian languages.
- Bhasha Samman: for contributions to languages not formally recognised by the Akademi and to classical and medieval literature.
What it means for writers
The award brings recognition and wider readership. Winning books are often translated into other Indian languages by the Akademi, which helps literature travel across language barriers.
Debates around the award
In 2015, several writers returned their Sahitya Akademi Awards in protest, which led to a national debate on free expression. The episode showed how closely the award is linked with public life.
How to follow the awards
The Akademi announces winners through a press release and on its website, with the list of books and authors in each language. Readers can buy award winning books and their translations from the Akademi’s sales outlets and website, and many public libraries keep them as well.
Bottom line
The Sahitya Akademi Award celebrates the richness of Indian writing across 24 languages. It is a key bridge between India’s many literary traditions.
Source / स्रोत: Sahitya Akademi, Ministry of Culture, Press Information Bureau
