New Delhi, Dec 21: Well known poets Shafi Shauq
(Kashmiri) and Darshan Darshi (Dogri), novelist Amar Mitra
(Bengali) and playwright Ajmer Singh Aulakh (Punjab) are among
the winners of this year`s Sahitya Akademi awards which were
announced on Thursday.
Poets dominated the awards with Darshi (Dogri),
Gyanendrapati (Hindi), Shauq (Kashmiri), Banshidhar Sarangi
(Oriya) and Harshdev Madhav (Sanskrit) being among the
winners.
A total of seven books of poetry, four novels, four
collections of short stories, three books each of plays and
creative essays and one each of travelogue and biography have
been chosen for the awards.
Those who won for their collection of short stories
include Atulnanda Goswami (Assamese), Vibhuti Anand (Maithili)
and M Sukumaran (Malayalam).
Among the novelists awarded this year are Amar Mitra
(Bengali) and Aasha Boge (Marathi).
Noted playwrights Ajmer Singh Aulakh and Kirat Babti
(Sindhi) are also among the winners.
The awardees also include travelogue writer Saratchand
Thiyam while Sri Ram Chandra Murmu was chosen for his
biography.
The awards were recommended by a jury comprising members
representing 23 Indian languages and were approved by the
board of the Sahitya Akademi.
The award for writing in English will be declared later.
The award, which will comprise of a copper plaque and a
cheque of Rs 50,000, will be presented to the authors at a
function to be held on February 20 next year.
Bureau Report
