Context: Sahitya Akademi has recently announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Award 2023 in 24 languages.

Sahitya Akademi Award 2023

• Awards: 9 books of poetry, 6 novels, 5 short story collections, 3 essays and 1 literary study have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards this year.
• Process: The awards recommended by distinguished jury members were approved by the Executive Board of the Sahitya Akademi under the Chairmanship of the President of the Akademi. 

Sahitya Akademi Award 2023 Winners List

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About Sahitya Akademi (India’s National Academy of Letters)

• It was founded in 1954 as an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry and is dedicated to promoting literature in Indian languages.
• It is the central institution for literary dialogue, publication and promotion in the country and the only institution that undertakes literary activities in 24 Indian languages.
• It was registered as a society in 1956 under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
• Functions: 
  • Work actively to develop Indian letters. 
  • Set high literary standards to foster and coordinate literary activities in all the Indian languages. 
  • Promote the cultural unity of the country through literary activities. 
• Awards: The first Awards were given in 1955. The award is in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl, and ₹1,00,000.
  • Literary Works: Akademi gives 24 awards annually to literary works in the languages it has recognized.
  • Literary Translation:  24 awards are given annually to literary translations from and into the languages of India.
  • Bhasha Samman: It also gives special awards for significant contributions to the languages not formally recognized by the Akademi and for contributions to classical and medieval literature.
• Languages Recognised: Besides the 22 languages enumerated in the Constitution of India, the Akademi has recognised English and Rajasthani as languages in which its programme may be implemented.

News Source: TH