The Sahitya Akademi on Monday (March 16, 2026) announced its annual awards for 2025 in the 24 languages recognised by it, nearly three months after the process was abruptly put on hold following directives from the Union Ministry of Culture.
Among the winners are former diplomat Navtej Sarna, awarded in English for his novel Crimson Spring; Hindi writer Mamta Kalia for her memoir Jeete Jee Allahabad; and in the literary criticism genre Tamil author Sa Tamilselvan for Thamiz SirukathaiyinThadangal.
“Sahitya Akademi is happy to announce today its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 24 Indian languages recognised by it. 8 books of poetry, 4 novels, 6 books of short stories, 2 essays, 1 literary criticism, 1 autobiography and 2 memoirs have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2025,” the Akademi said in a statement.
The awards, recommended by distinguished jury members, were approved by the Competent Authority of the Sahitya Akademi, the statement said.
Others named in the 2025 awards are Prasun Bandyopadhyay for Shrestha Kabita in Bengali; Yogesh Vaidya for Bhattkhadaki in Gujarati; Amresh Nugadoni for Dada Seerisu Tande in Kannada; N. Prabhakaran for Maayamanushyar in Malayalam; Raju Baviskar for Kalyanilya Resha in Marathi; Nandini Sidha Reddy for Animesha in Telugu; Jinder for Safety Kit in Punjabi; and Jitender Kumar Soni for Bharkhama in Rajasthani.
Also among the recipients of the award are Pritpal Singh Betab for Safar Jari Hai in Urdu; Bhagwan Atlani for Waghoo in Sindhi; Sumitra Soren for Mid Birna Chenne Saon Inag Sagai in Santali; Mahamahopadhyay Sahu Bhadreshdas for Prasthanacatustaye Brahmaghosah in Sanskrit; Girijakumar Baliyar Singh for Padapurana in Odia; Prakash Bhattarai for Nepali Paramparik Sanskriti Ra Sabhyata Ko Dukuti in Nepali; and Haobam Nalini for Kanglamdriba Eephut in Manipuri.
The awardees will receive a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl, and an amount of ₹1 lakh at a ceremony on March 31.
The awards come nearly three months after the Akademi had, on December 18, 2025, cancelled its press conference for the announcement following a last minute directive from the Union Ministry of Culture, which had cited a need for the “restructuring” of the awards.
The Culture Ministry had sent a note to the Akademi, sources had said, reminding it of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2025 with all four autonomous institutions under it, namely, the National School of Drama, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the Lalit Kala Akademi, and the Sahitya Akademi that an awards restructuring exercise had to be taken in consultation with the Ministry. The note was sent to all four autonomous cultural bodies.
“Till such time the restructuring process is duly approved by the Ministry, no process for declaration of awards shall be undertaken without the prior approval of the Ministry,” the Culture Ministry had said.
Published - March 16, 2026 06:42 pm IST
