Context:
Gagan Gill, Easterine Kire to get Sahitya Akademi awards.
- Ms. Gill was selected for her book on poetry Main Jab Tak Aai Bahar.
- Ms. Kire was selected for her novel Spirit Nights
Sahitya Akademi:
- Also known as – India’s National Academy of Letters
- An autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture
- Founded in – 1954, to promote literature in the languages of India.
- Registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- Functions –
- Promotion of Literature: Encourages the development of Indian literature through various programs, workshops, and seminars.
- Publications: Publishes books, journals, and monographs in multiple Indian languages.
- Library: Maintains a library with a vast collection of books and manuscripts.
- Awards and Honors – Confers various literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize, and Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar.
Sahitya Akademi Awards:
- A literary honor in India, conferred annually by the Sahitya Akademi.
- Purpose – Recognizes and promotes excellence in Indian writing and acknowledges new trends in literature.
- Languages – Awarded for works in the 22 languages of the 8th Schedule to the Indian Constitution, as well as in English and Rajasthani.
- Award Components:
- An engraved copper plaque
- Cash Prize of Rs. 1,00,000 (increased from Rs. 5,000 since inception).
- A traditional Indian shawl.
- Categories: Awards are given in various categories, including poetry, novels, short stories, essays, literary criticism, plays, and research.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. The National School of Drama was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959.
2. The highest honour conferred by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer is by electing him its Fellow.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil service Exam – 2009 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)