Sahitya Akademi Award 2025 Winners List, Categories, Prize and Full Details

The Sahitya Akademi Award 2025 has been officially announced on 16 March 2026, recognizing outstanding literary works across 24 Indian languages. Presented annually by Sahitya Akademi, this prestigious award celebrates excellence in Indian literature across genres such as poetry, novels, essays, memoirs, and short stories.

The awards will be conferred at a formal ceremony in New Delhi on 31 March 2026.

Key Highlights of Sahitya Akademi Award 2025

• Total Languages Covered: 24

• Announcement Date: 16 March 2026

• Award Ceremony: 31 March 2026

• Prize:

  • ₹1,00,000 cash award

  • Shawl

  • Copper plaque

The award is considered India’s highest literary honour for writers in regional languages.

Categories and Distribution

The Sahitya Akademi Award 2025 reflects the diversity of Indian literature through multiple categories:

• Poetry – 8 awards

• Novels – 4 awards

• Short Stories – 6 awards

• Essays – 2 awards

• Literary Criticism – 1 award

• Autobiography – 1 award

• Memoirs – 2 awards

Insight: Poetry continues to dominate, showing its deep cultural roots in Indian literature.

Selection Process of Sahitya Akademi Award

The selection process ensures transparency and merit-based recognition:

1. Open nominations invited (January 2025)

2. Evaluation by language-specific expert juries

3. Recommendations reviewed by Akademi

4. Final approval by competent authority

Focus on originality, literary merit, and contribution

Sahitya Akademi Award 2025 Winners List (Category-wise)

Poetry Winners

• Bengali – Shrestha Kabita – Prasun Bandyopadhyay

• Gujarati – Bhattkhadaki – Yogesh Vaidya

• Odia – Padapurana – Girijakumar Baliyar Singh

• Telugu – Animesha – Nandini Sidha Reddy

• Urdu – Safar Jaari Hai – Pritpal Singh Betab

• Sanskrit – Prasthanacatustaye Brahmaghosah – Sadhu Bhadreshdas

Novel Winners

• Assamese – Karhi Khelar Sadhu – Devabrat Das

• Bodo – Dwngnwi Lama Mwnse Gathwn – Sahaisuli Brahma

• English – Crimson Spring – Navtej Sarna

• Malayalam – Maayaamanushyar – N. Prabhakaran

Short Story Winners

• Kannada – Dada Seerisu Tande – Amaresh Nugadoni

• Punjabi – Safety Kit – Jinder

• Rajasthani – Bharkhama – Jitender Kumar Soni

• Sindhi – Waghoo – Bhagwan Atlani

Essays

• Konkani – Henry Mendonca

• Nepali – Prakash Bhattarai

Other Categories

• Literary Criticism – Tamil – Sa. Tamilselvan

• Autobiography – Marathi – Raju Baviskar

• Memoirs:

  • Hindi – Mamta Kalia (Jeete Jee Allahabad)

  • Maithili – Mahendra

Language-wise Winners (Quick Overview)

The awards span across major Indian languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, and more, reflecting India’s linguistic diversity.

About Sahitya Akademi

The Sahitya Akademi was established in 1954 and serves as India’s premier literary institution.

Key Functions:

• Promotion of literature

• Publication and translation of works

• Organizing literary events and seminars

• Supporting regional languages

Headquarters: New Delhi

Importance of Sahitya Akademi Award

• Promotes regional literature and languages

• Strengthens cultural unity and diversity

• Recognizes literary excellence at the national level

• Acts as a soft power tool for India’s cultural diplomacy

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