Raghu Karnad gets Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar

Raghu Karnad has won the 2016 Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar under the English language category for his debut non-fiction novel Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War.

Raghu is the son of eminent film personality and writer Girish Karnad. The prestigious award under the Kannada language category went to Vikrama Hatwara for his short stories, Zero Mathu Ondu. The Sahitya Akademi announced the names of 24 authors to recognise their literary work in various Indian languages.

The executive board approved the names of the awardee at a meeting in Imphal, Manipur, on Thursday. The meeting was presided over by Akademi president Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari.

“These books were selected on the basis of the recommendations made by the jury comprising three members each in the concerned languages in accordance with the rules and procedures laid down for the purpose,” Akademi secretary K Srinivasa Rao tweeted.Nilotpal Mrinal won the award under the Hindi language category for his novel Dark Horse-Ek Ankahi Dastan.

The Akademi also announced names of 21 authors for the 2016 Bal Sahitya Puraskar. Sumatheendra Nadig bagged the award under the Kannada language category for Total Contribution to Children Literature.

The Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar carry a casket with an engraved copper plaque and a cheque of Rs 50,000. The Akademi stated that while the date for conferring the Yuva Puraskar was yet to be decided, the Bal Sahitya Puraskar winners will be felicitated on November 14, Children’s Day.