List of writers who have returned the Sahitya Akademi Award

Surjit Patar's Sahitya Akademi Award which they have already returned
Sahitya Akademi Award of Surjit Patar

The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary award, which after the Jnanpith, is the most prestigious Indian literary award given each year to writers for the most outstanding books of literary merit published in Indian languages, which are recognized by the Sahitya Akademi.[1] The prize money given for the inaugural award by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1954 was ₹ 5,000 (US$76.26)[lower-alpha 1] and it has been raised six times since such that from 2009 it is worth ₹ 1,00,000 (US$1,525).[2] The prize has been awarded each year since 1979-80 and has been given to over 1,000 writers.[3][4]

However, as of 2015 the award has been returned by many writers for various reasons. As many as 40 prominent writers have also announced their returning of the award in protest at the "rising intolerance in India" under its present government.[1] The first to return the award was Uday Prakash, a Hindi writer, on 4 September 2015 in protest at the murder of M M Kalburgi, a Kannada Sahitya Akademi award winner. Following Prakash, prominent writers including Nayantara Sahgal, Ashok Vajpeyi and women veteran writers Krishna Sobti and Shashi Deshpande have also returned their awards.[1]

Joining the chorus, many writers announced their returning of the award in protest at the murder of Kalburgi as well as the Dadri incident in Greater Noida, where a Muslim man was lynched by a mob after hearing rumors of him eating and storing beef.[5] Among others, Ajmer Aulakh, Aman Sethi, Ganesh Devi, Kum Veerabhadrappa and Shashi Deshpande have publicly announced their return of the award.[6] To show their condemnation Deshpande, K Satchidanandan, PK Parakkadvu and Aravind Malagatti have also resigned their posts at the Sahitya Akademi institution.[5]

Expressing solidarity and condemning the killings of writers, the Sahitya Akademi, admonished the protesters to take back their awards.[7] Mandakrata Sen, Bengali poet, who returned the Sahitya Akademi award in early October 2015 was contacted by the authorities of Sahitya Akademi requesting that she take the award back. However, she stood by her decision and announced that she would not take it back.[8]

Writers who have returned the award

S. No. Writers Year Language Works Notes Ref(s)
1 Ajmer Singh Aulakh 2006 Punjabi writer Ishk Baj Namaz Da Haz Nahi (Plays) Returned the award in protest against the Dadri lynching incident along with "the murders of noted intellectuals." [9]
2 Ambika Dutt 2013 Hindi writer Aanthyoi Nahi Din Hal (Poetry) Dutt returned the award saying-
"We shouldn’t pigeonhole writers' protest as a political or a communal movement as it pollutes the issue... Writers and jagruk sansthan (enlightened institutions) have to act, when required, irrespective of who’s in power."
[10]
3 Ashok Vajpeyi 1994 Hindi writer Kahin Nahin Wahin (Poetry) Strongly protesting the "assault on right to freedom of both life and expression", with regards to the Dadri incident, Vajpeyi returned his award. [11]
4 Atamjit Singh 2009 Punjabi writer Tatti Tawi Da Sach (Play) Returned the award in protest against the Dadri lynching incident along with "the murders of noted intellectuals." [9]
5 Baldev Singh Sadaknama 2011 Punjabi novelist Dhaawaan Dilli De Kingrey (Novel) Sadaknama while giving up his award, in a collective statement, noted that he is returning the awards in protest against the "'atmosphere of terror' which was being created by the Central government." [12]
6 Bhoopal Reddy 2011 Telugu Uggu Paalu (Short Stories) Reddy returned his Sahitya Akademi award and Ugadi Puraskaram award by joining the bandwagon of writers who expressed that there is "growing intolerance against free speech in the country [India]" with regards to the killing of M. M. Kalburgi. [13]
7 Chaman Lal 2002 Hindi translator Unknown While returning his award, Chaman Lal remarked that "Akademi's [ Sahitya Akademis'] insensitive behaviour", and added "there is wider government patronisation to Akademi's such conduct". Which maybe the significant reason for his award returning. [14]
[15]
8 Darshan Buttar 2012 Punjabi poet Maha Kambani (Poetry) Buttar returned his award on October 11, 2015 in protest against the "rising intolerance in the country" and inability of Sahitya Akademi "to mark a strong protest". Murder of Kalburgi was also mentioned as a reason for Buttar's award return. [16]
9 Ganesh Devy 1993 Gujarati/English writer After Amnesia On Akademi's silence on Kalburgi's murder, Devy noted that he was "dismayed" and in protest of "all that is happening to free expression in our country", Devy returned his award. [17]
10 Ghulam Nabi Khayal 1975 Kashmiri writer Gaashir Munaar (Luminaries) Khayal cited to Press Trust of India that "the minorities in the country [India] are feeling unsafe and threatened", as the reason for his award return. [18]
11 GN Ranganatha Rao 2014 Kannada translator Mohan Dasa Ondu Satya Kathe (Translation of Mohandas - A True Story of a Man, His People and an Empire) In the letter which Rao sent to Sahitya Akademi while returning his award, he worte, "The vested interests of our culture are out to curb the freedom of expression and to destroy the pluralistic fabric of this country. The latest incident that gives credence to this is the assassination of Kalburgi.... I am pained to note that the Sahitya Akademi, which is supposed to be the guardian of literary and cultural heritage of this great country, is short of taking note of this dangerous trend developing in this country." [19]
12 Gurbachan Singh Bhullar 2005 Punjabi writer Agni Kalas (Short Stories) "During recent past, the attempts at disrupting the social fabric of the country, targeting particularly the area of literature and culture, under an orchestrated plan of action, has been perturbing me," noted Bhullar while returning the award. [20]
13 Homen Borgohain 1978 Assamese journalist Pita Putra (Novel) After returning his award, Borgohain wrote in a Assam based vernacular newspaper, "There has been a silent protest inside me since the Dadri killing. But I failed to find a way to express this. Now after seeing at least 10 Akademi winners returning their awards one after another against the growing religious intolerance, I too felt to have got a way to express my protest." [21]
[22]
14 Jaswinder Singh 2014 Punjabi poet Agarbatti (Poetry) Jaswinder Singh while returning his award remarked, "Returning award is also a form of protest. If the need be, we will cross all barriers to save the country from religious fundamentalism." [12]
15 K. Katyayani Vidhmahe 2013 Telugu writer Sathiyaakaasamlo Sagam (Essays) According to Vidhmahe, "The atmosphere in the country is not good for writers and freedom of expression." She expressed that, "I am against the growing intolerance, silencing of Tamil writer Perumal Murugan and Kalburgi's murder." while returning the award. [23]
16 Kashi Nath Singh 2011 Hindi novelist Rehan par Ragghu (Novel) Singh returned his award by condemning the killing of Kalburgi and protesting against the Dadri lynching incident. He further noted, "the political leadership was becoming intolerant of the protest by the literary fraternity". [24]
17 Keki N. Daruwalla 1984 Indian English poet The Keeper of the Dead (Poetry) [25]
18 Krishna Sobti 1980 Hindi writer Zindaginama (Novel) [26]
19 Kumbar Veerabhadrappa 2007 Kannada novelist Aramane (Novel) [27]
20 Mandakranta Sen 2004 Bengali poet Unknown [28]
21 Manglesh Dabral 2000 Hindi writer Hum Jo Dekhte Hain (Poetry) [29]
[30]
22 Marghoob Banihali 1977 Kashmiri writer Partavistaan (Poetry) [31]
23 Mohan Bhandari 1997 Punjabi writer Moon di Akh (Short Stories) [32]
24 Munawar Rana 2014 Urdu writer Shahdaba (Novel) [33]
[34]
25 Nand Bhardwaj 2004 Rajasthani and Hindi writer Samhi Khulto Marag (Novel) [35]
26 Nayantara Sahgal 1986 Indian English writer Rich Like Us (Novel) [36]
[37]
27 Nirupama Borgohain 1994 Assamese writer Abhijatri (Novel) [38]
28 Rahman Abbas 2011 Urdu novelist Khuda Ke Saaye Mein Aankh Micholi (Novel) [39]
29 Rahmat Tarikere - Kannada writer Unknown [40]
30 Rajesh Joshi 2002 Hindi writer Do Panktiyon Ke Beech (Poetry) [41]
[42]
31 Sarah Joseph 2003 Malayalam novelist Aalahayude Penmakkal (Novel) [43]
32 Srinath DN 2009 Kannada translator Unknown [44]
33 Surjit Patar 1993 Punjabi poet Haneray Vich Sulgadi Varnmala (Poetry) [45]
34 Uday Prakash 2010 Hindi writer Mohan Das (Short Story) [46]
[29]
35 Waryam Singh Sandhu 2000 Punjabi writer Chauthi Koot (Short Stories) [9]
36 Anil R. Joshi 1990 Gujarati writer Statue (Essay collection) ...over killing of rationalist M. M. Kalburgi and others. [47]

Media reception

The return of Sahitya Akademi awards caught the attention of both the Indian as well as international media almost instantly.[48] David Barstow of The New York Times on October 17, 2015 noted, "The writers’ revolt, which began in September after a 76-year-old critic of Hindu idolatry was gunned down in his home, rapidly gained strength this month when Mr. Modi failed to promptly condemn the killing of a Muslim man, Mohammed Ikhlaq, by a Hindu mob because they suspected he had killed a cow and eaten its meat."[49] On October 23, after the Akademi passed a resolution condemning the attacks against rational thinkers, Saket Suman of The Statesman noted, "The Akademi's resolution, however, comes after almost two months since the murder of Prof Kalburgi (30 August). The memorandum fails to explain why the only autonomous institution of Indian literature in all its diversities took 54 days to publicly condemn the death of a Sahitya Akademi recipient and other rationalist thinkers."[50]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The US Dollar currency rates represent the current values, as of November 2015

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sahitya Akademi in a fix as returned awards pile up". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "..:: SAHITYA : Akademi Awards ::..". sahitya-akademi.gov.in. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Encyclopaedia of New Media and Educational Planning". google.co.in. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "The Sahitya Akademi row: All you need to know". The Indian Express. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Sahitya Akademi protest: Complete list of writers who returned their awards". International Business Times, India Edition. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Now, six more writers return Sahitya Akademi awards". http://www.hindustantimes.com/. Retrieved 3 November 2015. External link in |work= (help)
  7. ↑ "Sahitya Akademi urges writers to take back awards, condemns Kalburgi's killing". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  8. ↑ "The Statesman: Not taking Sahitya Akademi award back: Mandakranta Sen". thestatesman.com. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 "5 Punjabi writers join protest, return awards". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "Here are the 33 writers who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  11. ↑ "Sahitya Akademi is not a govt organisation: Chairperson responds to Sahgal, Vajpeyi". Firstpost. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  12. 1 2 "Three more Punjabi writers give up Sahitya Akademi award". http://www.hindustantimes.com/. Retrieved 3 November 2015. External link in |work= (help)
  13. ↑ "Bhoopal, First Telugu Writer to Return Akademi Award". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  14. ↑ Press Trust of India (13 October 2015). "Hindi translator Chaman Lal returns Sahitya award, Odia poet". business-standard.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  15. ↑ Press Trust of India. "Hindi translator Chaman Lal returns Sahitya Akademi award, Odia poet Rajendra Kishore wants urgent meeting". India.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015. it was just a Political propaganda from Congress against Narendra Modi's Success.
  16. ↑ "Why nine Punjabi writers have returned their Sahitya Akademi award". dailyo.in. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "Against 'silence on intolerance', Ganesh Devy returns Akademi award". The Indian Express. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  18. ↑ "Kashmiri writer Ghulam Nabi Khayal joins protest, returns Sahitya Akademi award". Firstpost. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  19. ↑ Bhaswar Kumar (13 October 2015). "Clueless Sahitya Akademi as authors return awards". business-standard.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  20. ↑ "Three eminent writers from Punjab return Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  21. ↑ "PM silence 'giving rise to thuggish violence'". Gulf-Times. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  22. ↑ "Celebrate, Not Mock the Dissenting Writers". NDTV.com. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  23. ↑ "Here are the 33 writers who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  24. ↑ "UP writer Kashi Nath Singh returns Sahitya Akademi award". Zee News. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  25. ↑ "'Buddhi Shuddhi' Puja For Authors Who Have Returned Their Awards". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  26. ↑ "Here are the 33 writers who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  27. ↑ NYOOOZ. "Malagatti quits Akademi, Kumvee and D. N. Srinath to return awards". NYOOOZ. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  28. ↑ "Mandakranta Sen returns Sahitya Akademi Award". The Economic Times. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  29. 1 2 "..:: SAHITYA : Akademi Awards ::..". sahitya-akademi.gov.in. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  30. ↑ "The right to write -Governance Now". governancenow.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  31. ↑ "Here are the 33 writers who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  32. ↑ "Here are the 33 writers who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  33. ↑ "Munawwar Rana, poet who returned award, to meet PM next week". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  34. ↑ "Urdu poet Munawwar Rana returns Sahitya Akademi award; two more hand over honour". Zee News. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  35. ↑ "Nand Bhardwaj returns Sahitya Akademi award". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  36. ↑ "Why Nayantara Sahgal Is Returning Her Sahitya Akademi Award After 29 Years". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  37. ↑ Press Trust of India (6 October 2015). "Nayantara Sehgal returns Sahitya award, protests rising intolerance". business-standard.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  38. ↑ "Here are the 33 writers who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards". The Indian Express. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  39. ↑ "Rahman Abbas turns down Sahitya Akademi plea, won't take back award". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  40. ↑ "Did anyone return awards after attack on Taslima Nasreen, asks Anupam Kher". India TV News. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  41. ↑ "Latest to return Sahitya Akademi award: Hindi poet Rajesh Joshi". intoday.in. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  42. ↑ SiliconIndia. "8 Wordsmiths Who Returned Sahitya Akademi Award in 2015". siliconindia. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  43. ↑ "Now, Malayalam novelist Sarah Joseph returns her Sahitya Academy award". The Indian Express. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  44. ↑ "Sahitya Akademi protest: Know who all returned literary honour". www.oneindia.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  45. ↑ "Punjabi poet Surjit Patar returns Sahitya Akademi Award - The Financial Express". The Financial Express. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  46. ↑ "PHOTOS: All The Dissenting Sahitya Akademi Awardees And Their Prize-Winning Works". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  47. ↑ "Another Gujarat-based writer Anil Joshi to return Sahitya Akademi award". dna. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  48. ↑ http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sahitya-akademi-s-dilemma-what-to-do-with-returned-awards-2148325
  49. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/18/world/asia/india-writers-return-awards-to-protest-government-silence-on-violence.html?_r=0
  50. ↑ http://epaper.thestatesman.com/621408/Statesman-Delhi/24-10-2015#page/1/2

Further reading

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