On Thursday, two writers from Assam were nominated for the Sahitya Akademi Prize.
While Assamese writer and journalist Anuradha Sarma Pujari won the prestigious literary award for her novel Iyat Ekhon Aranya Asil, poet Mwdai Gahai honored for his collection of poetry Khoro Sayao Arw Himalay.
Sarma Pujari, 57, a well-known novelist and writer, is the editor-in-chief of the Assamese weekly Sadin.
Born in 1964 in the upper Jorhat of Assam, she obtained her master’s degree in sociology from the University of Dibrugarh.
As a writer she gained popularity with her column Kolkatar Sithi in Asom Bani and she rose to fame with her first novel Hriday Ek Bigyapan, published in 1998.
Earlier, she won the Bishnu Rava Prize for her novel Mereng. She received the Kumar Kishore Memorial Literary Prize from Asom Sahitya Sabha, in 2003. Some of his important books include Nahoror Niribili Cha, Nil Prajapati, Son Harinor Chekur, Ejon Eshworor Sondhanot, Jalachabi and Sahebpurar Borosun.
On the other hand, the young storyteller Abhijit Bora and the storyteller Mrinal Kalita received Sahitya Akademi Yuba Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar respectively.
While Bora was shortlisted for the award for her Deuka Kobai Jai short story collection, Kalita received the award for her children’s book Bakul Phoolor Dore.