Three litterateurs from Assam—one each in Assamese, Bodo, and Sanskrit—won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024 that were announced on Wednesday.
GUWAHATI: Three litterateurs from Assam—one each in Assamese, Bodo, and Sanskrit—won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024 that were announced on Wednesday.
The three writers are eminent poet Sameer Tanti for his Assamese poetry book ‘Pharingbore Bator Katha Jane’, Aron Raja for his Bodo novel ‘Swrni Thakhai’, and Dipak Kumar Sharma for his Sanskrit poetry book ‘Bhaskaracaritam’.
A recipient of the Assam Valley Literary Award in 2012 and the Gangadhar National Award for poetry in 2020, poet Sameer Tanti said, “Poetry can never satiate a person’s hunger pangs, nor can it ever warm a person in the chilling cold or give him or her a fire to bask in and an abode to live in. However, poetry tries to reform a person’s mind, guide him or her in the journey of life, and provide him or her vital life force at the worst of times. I never thought of achieving anything out of poetry or being deprived of any achievement out of it.”
Poet Tanti’s contribution to Assamese literature with both poetry and prose will continue to remain indelible.
Writer Dipak Kumar Sharma did receive the Sahitya Akademi translator award in 2018 also. He was the former vice chancellor of Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University.
The Sahitya Akademi awards for 21 languages announced today comprise eight poetry books, three novels, two short story collections, three essays, three literary criticisms, one play, and one research paper.
The Sahitya Akademi will announce the awards of Bengali, Urdu, and Dogri later.
Sahitya Akademi will give away the awards on March 8, 2025, at a function in New Delhi.
Each of the awards carries a copper plaque, a shawl, and an amount of Rs 1 lakh.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated the three writers for their achievements.
