BHUBANESWAR: Three authors from Odisha have been chosen for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar and Yuva Puraskar for 2025 by the Central Sahitya Akademi, in both Odia and Santali languages.
In Odia language, while Subrat Kumar Senapati has been selected for the Yuva Puraskar for his book of short stories ‘Kadambabana’, Rajkishore Padhi will receive the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for ‘Kete Phula Phutichi’, a book of poetry. Similarly, Mayurbhanj’s Fagu Baskey will be conferred the Yuva Puraskar for his poetry collection ‘Ala Saon Inj’ in Santali language.
This was announced by the Central Sahitya Akademi on Wednesday following its executive board meeting which was presided over by Akademi’s president Madhav Kaushik.
The books were chosen on the basis of recommendations made by a jury of three members each in the languages. The Bal Sahitya Puraskar relates to books published between 2019 and 2023. For Bal Sahitya Puraskar, the Odia jury included writers Niladri Bhusan Harichandan, Sankuntala Baliarsingh and Ramachandra Nayak. Likewise, the Yuva Puraskar Odia jury had Yashodhara Mishra, Rabi Swain and SuvashChandra Satapathy. And the Santali jury had Dulee Hembram, Kasunath Soren and Madan Mohan Soren.
Celebrated author Padhi had previously in 2015 received the Odisha Sahitya Akademi award for children’s literature. While Senapati is known for his short stories, he currently works as an assistant professor in the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, SOA University. Similarly, Fagu is serving as an assistant teacher at Kumbhir Mundi primary school under Bangriposi block in Mayurbhanj district.All the awardees will receive engraved copper plaques and a cash reward of `50,000 each at a special function by the Sahitya Akademiat a later date.