And the biggest hazard is ...

Sunil Ganguly is one of India's most famous writers and president of the autonomous but federal government-funded Sahitya Academy, the country's highest literary council. He is a household name in the Bengali-speaking world and his stories and novels have been turned into films by eminent directors like Satyajit Ray and Goutam Ghosh. S. N. M. Abdi, a bdnews24.com Contributing Editor in India, spoke to Ganguly on the significance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh and the state of Dhaka-Delhi relations. Excerpts:

What are the images Bangladesh conjures up for you? 
I was born there! So I have plenty of vivid memories. I was born in 1934 in a village called Pub Maijpara near Madaripur. My father was a school teacher in Calcutta. But we regularly visited our ancestral home in Pub Maijpara during summer and winter holidays. However in 1942 when the Japanese were bombing Calcutta, my father despatched us to Maijpara for an entire year. I was even admitted to a school in Maijpara as schools and colleges in Calcutta were shut down because of the war.

As the Japanese were rice-eaters, the British government seized rice stocks fearing a land invasion by the Japanese army. We had to subsist on potatoes. Potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We carried fried potatoes to school in our pockets. During the lunch break, the school staff provided salt! And there were potato 'wars' in the classroom - children hurling potatoes at one another like grenades!

In 1943 we returned to Calcutta. It was the year of the Great Bengal Famine. But those who had money could buy food - including rice. I have been a frequent visitor to Bangladesh over the years. But I never went back to Maijpara until 2008. But that, as they say, is another story.

Full report here BDNews24

'Moegling's contribution to Kannada literature is immense'

While most Christian missionaries came to India with the idea of spreading their religion and bringing natives into their fold, Rev Dr Herman Moegling, a German missionary, was more a soldier of Kannada than a missionary. While his contribution to Kannada is well documented, more can be learnt about contemporary Karnataka in the 18th century by going through his travelogues, said B A Viveka Rai, former VC, Kannada University.

Inaugurating a two-day seminar, Rev Dr Herman Moegling Innurara Nennapu organized by Karnataka Theological Research Institute, Karnataka Sahitya Academy and Kittel Foundation here on Thursday, Rai said: "Moegling did not fully fit the bill of a missionary and the primary role of religious work attributed to them. His role and contribution to society goes beyond the loose framework of work normally attributed to missionaries of those days," he said.

A fraction of Moegling's life and achievements have actually come to light and more can be learnt by undertaking further study of his dairies and correspondence available both in India and Germany, he said. While Mangalore and its surrounding areas was primary work area of Moegling, his travels to places such as Hubli-Dharwad and Dharmasthala and photographs of the places taken will shed more light on these places as they existed then, he said.

FUll report here Times of India 

The write stuff

Rejecting the Kalaimamani award for its taking-the-artiste-for-granted impersonality, Indira Parthasarathy (16 novels, 10 plays, anthologies of short stories, essays) is the recipient of national recognition including the Saraswati Samman, and the only Tamil writer to be given awards by both Sahitya and Sangeet Natak Akademis. Drawing from his life in hometown Kumbakonam, New Delhi, Warsaw and the U.S., Parthasarathy has established himself as a voice of many tones, adding dimensions to character interplay with the resonance of political issues. Here he reflects on experiences shaping his growth as a writer.

When did you realise you were a writer?
A natural process beginning with voracious reading in childhood. In our Vaishnavite home, the poetry of the Alwars was part of daily ritual. But, I don't know what made me read Balzac and Charles Lamb, or the 2,000-page “Missing Links” about ancient Egypt by Vaduvur Doraiswami Iyengar. The same man who wrote ‘pennythrillers' and ‘shillingshockers' that I read aloud to my grandmother, earning one anna for a book.

I gazed at writers Ku Rajagopalan, Karichan Kunju and Thi Janakiraman (my English teacher) as if they were filmstars… (smiling) I began with verse, but had the wisdom to stop when I knew it was not poetry.

You were fascinated by Shelley?
There's something about Shelley that incites you. I imagined I was a great revolutionary, rebelling against agraharam orthodoxy. In college, I became a member of the Communist party, and was suspended briefly for instigating student agitation.

Full interview here Hindu

Cutting near the aching nerve

GA Kulkarni (1923 - 1987) is one of the great Marathi short story writers.

He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1973. Film buffs, too, might know of him as one of his stories, Kairee — meaning raw mango — was made into a movie by Amol Palekar. In the introduction of one of his short story collections, Kulkarni quoted August Strindberg: “Shallow people demand variety—but I have been writing the same story throughout my life, every time trying to cut nearer the aching nerve!” The line sums up Kulkarni’s approach to writing perfectly, for one way or the other, all of his stories revolve around the theme of immutable fate and man’s struggle to make a mark against it.

Through his career, the settings and style of the stories evolved — ranging from rural Maharashtra, to ancient Greek myth, to imaginary fantasy lands. The same over-riding theme, however, comes through in various guises: When characters are confronted by an odd situation, we find them stopping to think over their lives, trying to understand how they got here, whether any of their efforts made any difference in the larger scheme of things.

Full review here Deccan Herald

Kongbam Ibeyaima’s folk tales bag Sahitya Akademi award

Ngathem Ningol Kongbam Ongbi Ibeyaima’s folk tales- Sorarengee Machanupi Atonbee Leimashang Amasung Atei Phunga Wareeshing in Manipuri was among the most outstanding books for children published in 24 Indian languages recognized by the Sahitya Akademi selected for the Sahitya Akademi Award for Children Literature (Bal Sahitya Puraskar) for 2010.

One book of folk tales, two books of poetry, six short stories, seven of novels, one play, one travelogue and five writers for their total contribution to children literature were selected for the awards newly instituted by the Sahitya Akademi from this year, according to the Sahitya Akademi. The award for the children literature in Sanskrit will be announced on Saturday.

Other awardees are Gagan Chandra Adhikari(Assamese), Saral De (Bengali), Nabin Malla Boro (Bodo), Gianeshwar (Dogri), Mini Srinivasan (English), Yashwant Mehta (Gujarati), Prakash Manu (Hindi), Boluvaru Mohammad Kunhi (Kannada), S. Razi(Kashmiri), Prakash S. Pariekar (Konkani), Tara Nand Viyogee (Maithili), Sippi Pallippuram (Malayalam), Anil Awachat(Marathi), Naina Singh Yonzan(Nepali), Punyaprabha Devi (Oriya), Jasbir Bhullar (Punjabi), Damyanti Jadawat Chanchal (Rajasthani), Bouyha Biswanath Tudu(Santhali), Khiman U.Mulani (Sindhi), Ma. Kamalavelan(Tamil), Kaluvakolanu Sadananda(Telegu) and Ghulam Haider(Urdu).

Full report here Kangla Online

Hijam Guno passes away

Renowned novelist and short story writer of Manipur Hijam Guno has passed away around 5 pm on Sep 14 at his residence at Keishampat Thokchom Leikai in Imphal.

He was 85. Shri Guno had written the classic novels Laman (1968), Khudol (1968), Aroiba Poadam and Bir Tikendrajit Road. He won Sahitya Academy Award for the latter.

He had also written a short novel Eikhoi Tada (1966), which was translated into English and published titled My Elder Brother. He was given Dr BR Ambedkar Fellowship on the book.

He had written a book of poetry titled Tonu Laijinglembi Sheitharol.

Full report here e-pao

Haryana to establish Sahityik Chikitsa Kalyan Kosh

Haryana Government has decided to set up a ‘Sahityik Chikitsa Kalyan Kosh’ for providing medical facilities to the recipients of State Litterateur Awards.

This was announced by Education Minister Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal on behalf of Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda on the occasion of Sahityakar Samman Samaroh here today. The Chief Minister could not attend the function because of his other pressing engagements.

Mrs Bhukkal also announced to give Rs. 10 lakh for the creation of the ‘Sahityik Chikitsa Kalyan Kosh’.She also honoured 33 litterateurs for the year 2008, 2009 and 2010 under the Litterateur Award Scheme of Haryana Sahitya Akademi.

While referring to the issue of setting up of a Granth Akademy to preserve Granths and manuscripts raised by Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr K.K.Khandelwal in the function, the Education Minister said that she would discuss it with the Chief Minister.

Congratulating the litterateurs on the occasion of Hindi Day, Mrs. Bhukkal said that they have created various forms of literature through continuous hard work and dedication. She said that during the tenure of last five-and-a-half years of present State Government, the Akademi had made commendable achievements under the able leadership of Mr Hooda. She said that the State Government had not only increased the number of awards, but had also enhanced the amount of awards. The State Government had implemented innovative schemes for empowerment of women and to give honour to the women in literature world, separate awards had been introduced for them.

Full report here India News

Haryana Sahitya Akademi awards announced

Haryana Sahitya Akademi has announced awards for the outstanding litterateurs of the State for the year 2010.

While disclosing this here on Sep 10, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is also the Chairman of the Akademi, said that the outstanding litterateurs would be honoured in a function to be organised at Haryana Niwas on the occasion of Hindi Day on September 14.

The Akademi had instituted three new awards of Rs one lakh each, namely Jan Kavi Mehar Singh Samman, Shreshtha Mahila Rachnakar Samman and Aditya Alhar Hasya Samman from the year 2010, he added.
The Chief Minister said that Haryana Sahitya Ratan Samman of Rs 2.50 lakh would be conferred upon Mr Liladhar Viyogi of Ambala, Mahakavi Surdas Samman (Hindi) of Rs 1.50 lakh would be awarded to Mr Madhav Kaushik of Chandigarh and Babu Balmukund Gupt Samman (Hindi literature) of Rs one lakh would be awarded to Dr Subhash Rastogi of Chandigarh.

Mr Desh Nirmohi of Panchkula and Mr Kamlesh Bhartiya of Hisar would be honoured with Lala Deshbandhu Gupt Samman (Sahityik Patrakarita) and each of them would get a cash prize of Rs one lakh, he added.

Full report here India News

Konkani Limerick Poets’ Meet on Sep 5

The state Konkani Sahitya Academy, under the aegis of taluk Limerick Sahitya Parishat will organize a meet of Konkani limerick poets at Canara College auditorium at 4.30 pm on Sunday, September 5.

MLA N Yogish Bhat will inaugurate the programme on Sunday evening.

State Konkani Sahitya Academy president Kundapur Narayana Kharvi will be the chief guest on the occasion.

Konkani Writers’ Forum – Karnataka president Paul Moras will preside over the programme.

Mangalore All India Radio broadcaster and poet Shakunthala R Kini will chair the poets’ meet.

Full report here Daijiworld

Staged whisper

Once India’s premier literary award, the Crossword prize looked as if it had lost the plot somewhat. Award ceremonies are bad enough because of authors competing like race horses, but to add to the humiliation, this time all the shortlisted contenders who had turned up for the translation prize were called up on the stage before the announcement. Imagine the discomfiture of those who didn’t win, up there, when the winners were announced: Malayalam Sahitya Akademi prizewinner Sarah Joseph’s novel about a nun, Othappu, translated by Valson Thampu, better known as principal of St Stephen’s College. Cruel!

Dropped In A Bazaar
Fortunately, by the time it came to the non-fiction prize announcement, the organisers seemed to have realised the limits of authorial performance. With two coffeetablers in the shortlist, one would have thought the prize choice would be easy. But no, it was a tie between two rather academic books: Looking East to Look West: Lee Kuan Yew’s Mission India by Sunanda K. Datta-Ray and Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom by Rajni Bakshi. Datta-Ray took the opportunity to flay his publisher publicly: for lack of enthusiasm and competence.

Full report here Outlook

Khushwant Singh among new Sahitya Akademi fellows

Veteran journalist Khushwant Singh and eminent Hindi writer Kedarnath Singh are among the three new fellows who have been elected to the Sahitya Akademi.

Besides Singh and Kedarnath, eminent Maithili writer Chandra Nath Mishra 'Amar' has also been selected as fellow of the prestigious cultural institution.

In a release here on Friday, the Akademi said the highest honour conferred by it on a writer is electing him or her as its fellow.

"This honour is reserved for the 'immortals of literature' and limited to 21 only at any given time," the release said, adding that they were selected by the Akademi's General Council.

Full report here Sify

Punjabi scholar, Telugu researcher chosen for Bhasha Samman

A noted Punjabi scholar and a Telugu veteran have been chosen for the 'Bhasha Samman' by the Sahitya Akademi for their contribution to the field of classical and medieval literature.

Gurudev Singh, a Punjabi scholar, was chosen for the honour from the Northern region, while Telugu researcher and critic Korlapati Sriramamurthy from the Southern region, the Akademi said in a statement.

Singh has compiled the Encyclopedia of Sufi Poetry and Thoughts and also the History of Sufi Punjabi Poetry and has also written books in Gurumukhi script and translated texts from Persian and Arabic.

The Bhasha Samman carries a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 besides an inscribed copy plaque and citation.

Full report here DNA

Scholar wins award for translation

Prominent scholar and litterateur Mrs. Asma Saleem was awarded Sahitya Akademi’s award for her Urdu translated book Safar at a ceremony in Panaji on August 20.

The Sahitya Akademi translation awards presentation ceremony was held at the Kala Academy’s Dinanath Mangeshkar hall. The welcome speech was delivered by the secretary of Sahitya Akademi, Mr Agrahar Krishnamurti. The president of Sahitya Akademi, Mr Sunil Gangopadhyay presided over the function.

The chief guest for the function was eminent Malayalam writer, M T Vasudevan Nair. The vice-president of Sahitya Akademi, Mr Sutindar Singh Noor presented the vote of thanks.

Translators of 23 languages were awarded for their contribution on the occasion including Asma Saleem, the translation award winner in Urdu, 2009.

Full report here TwoCircles

Writers who have stood the test of time

Masti Venkatesa Iyengar, a Tamil who wrote in Kannada, lived up to a hundred years. Around Independence, anyone crossing 50 was considered old and his disappearance wasn’t considered unnatural. A whole range of Tamil writers from Pudumaipittan to Ku Pa Rajagopalan to T Janakiraman passed away well before they could touch 60. The terms immortality and belonging to posterity, etc, are frequently bandied about terms in writing about the contemporary writing scene. One only has to look into a 10-year-old ‘Who’s Who’ of writers to realise how short is the impact of a writer. They say of a film director that he is as good as his last film. The same holds good for the writer also.

The children and grand-children of Dr (Indira) R Parthasarathy celebrated his 80th birthday on July 10. Many friends and well-wishers gathered on the occasion to greet him a long and active life. When one reflects about his beginnings and growing up as a writer, one will be justifiably amazed. Parthasarathy studied Tamil and English at the post-graduate level. As an academic, he should have been wary of an ‘aberration’ called modern writing. But despite teaching classical Tamil, he took to contemporary writing; first short stories; a little later, novels and from 1970 onwards he also began writing plays. Today, Parthasarathy is as famous for his prose fiction as he is for his plays. He is the only Indian writer to have been honoured by both the Sahitya Akademi and the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Full report here New Indian Express

Children's literary award to be announced today

The Bal Sahitya Puraskar (children's literary award) will be announced for the first time since its inception by the Sahitya Akademi at Kala Academy on August 20.

According to Sahitya Akademi officials, the president of the Akademi will announce the names of the Pruaskar's winners for their contribution to children's literature in Indian languages. Besides, Bhasha Sammans for classical and medieval literature and unrecognized languages will also be announced, he said.

Meanwhile, the translation prize presentation function will be held at Kala Academy's Dinnanath Mangeshkar hall in Panaji on August 20 at 5.30pm.

Full report here Times of India 

Court upholds Sahitya Akademi's nominations

The Delhi High Court Tuesday upheld Sahitya Akademi's decision to nominate three people recommended by the education department of Uttar Pradesh for the general council of the institution.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Manmohan dismissed a petition filed by Vikram Singh, a litterateur, who challenged the Akademi's decision to reject his name for the council in 2007.

Singh had used the transparency law to get details about his case from the Akademi.

'It is understandable that one has the right to seek information under RTI (Right to Information) Act but it is difficult to comprehend and appreciate the proclivity of a litterateur, claiming eminence, to chase with such unnecessary anxiety, especially when the recommendation is for the nomination of a member of a highly-respected body,' said the court.

Full report here Sify

Karnataka Sahitya Academy Honorary Award presented

Renowned Marathi writer Balachandra Namade cautioned that any award or success of a writer should not make him isolated from the common man.

Speaking after presenting the annual Karnataka Sahitya Academy Honorary Award-2009 to five Kannada writers for their outstanding contribution to Kannada literature and annual book awards- 2008 for 17 writers in Udupi on July 2, Namade said even after his success, the writer should be able to share the sufferings of the common man which make him still greater.

He said the height of glory in all fields of Kannada literature such as dance, drama, Yakshagana and folklore took place in the 60s. Several great writers and poets and patriots of Marathi were originated from Karnataka.

Commending the efforts taken by the Karnataka government by honouring the Kannada writers for their achievements through the academy, he said it was a sincere attempt of recognition to adore the writers who were part of the community.

Full report here mangalorean.com

Maiden tryst with Kalaguru

Bishnu Rabha Divas was observed in Kolkata — the country’s cultural capital — over the past two days with a call to build cultural bridges, break barriers of language and strengthen the bond of humanity.

Asam Sahitya Sabha, in collaboration with Sahitya Akademi, organised a literary forum to observe the death anniversary of Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha at the Sahitya Akademi auditorium here this evening. A documentary on Rabha was also screened.

Last evening, Kolkata Sahitya Chora and Assam Socio Literary (ASL) Club observed Rabha Divas at Assam Bhawan, for the first time in the city, to reminisce the contributions of the cultural doyen.

Full report here Telegraph

Writer left red-faced by Akademi error

For well-known litterateur Veena Alase, it was the most embarrassing moment in her life when the Sahitya Akademi informed her that the prestigious award declared for her translation work is being withdrawn, since her name was earlier declared by mistake. ‘‘It was a human error, we express regrets,’’ Krishnamurthy, Sahitya Akademi secretary informed her.

On February 14, Alase was informed that she had been selected for the Sahitya Akademi award for her translation work in Marathi. Then the Akademi had asked her to submit comprehensive information on her literary work in the prescribed format.

Besides submitting her career details, Alase specifically informed the administration that she was selected for the Sahitya academy award in 1994 for translation work, then she had translated a book authored by social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule in Bengali. ‘‘She sent the entire information to the academy in February itself,’’ a senior official said.

Full report here Times of India

Minaketan remembered

Floral tribute and honouring of two Sahitya Akademi Awardees marked the 104th birth anniversary of Ashangbam Minaketan held at Manipur Press Club on May 2.

The Akademi Award 2009 winners for their translation works are Raghu Leishangthem and Ch Brajeswor Sharma.

Moreover, poet Th Ibohanbi presented a thorough rendition on a book entitled 'Ema Si Nurabi' written by BS Meisnamba, which also won a Sahitya Akademi Award in 2007 .

Presenting the key note address, poet Y Ibomcha Singh expressed elation to be a participant in the observance of the Minaketan's birth anniversary and desired that birth or death anniversaries of all the literary figures be held on a common date.

Full report here e-pao