BHUBANESWAR: Hindi writer Alka Saraogi will be conferred the Fakir Mohan National Literary Award-2023 during the 25th foundation day of the Fakir Mohan University at Balasore on July 11.
This was announced by the university vice-chancellor on Monday.
Alka is the youngest Hindi writer to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award (2001) for her novel ‘Kalikatha via Bypass’. She has published six other novels, the latest being ‘Kulbhushan ka Naam Darj Kijiye’ in 2020 and has two collections of short stories. She is translated into many European and regional languages. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a citation and a memento.
The award has been instituted by the university in the name of Utkala Byasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati in the year 2004 to honour the most acclaimed writers across various Indian languages and English. However, Alka will be the third author to receive the award as it was called off after the first edition due to various reasons. The university revived the award last year and presented it to eminent Tamil writer Perumal Murugan.
Apart from Alka, eminent Odia writer Gourahari Das and retired IIT-Kharagpur professor Sudarshan Nanda will receive the Vyasa Gauraba Samman-2023. Besides, young writer Sanjay Panda will get the ‘Fakir Mohan Yuba Galpika Puraskar’ on the occasion.