The Sahitya Akademi will host the annual Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025 ceremony on Friday at the Triveni Auditorium in New Delhi. The event celebrates excellence in children’s literature across 24 Indian languages.
The awards will be presented by Madhav Kaushik, President of the Sahitya Akademi. Eminent Gujarati writer Varsha Das will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest, while Kumud Sharma, Vice President of the Akademi, will deliver the vote of thanks. The welcome address will be given by Pallavi Prashant Holkar, Secretary of the Akademi.
Each awardee will receive a cheque of ₹50,000 and a bronze plaque in recognition of their outstanding contributions to children’s literature.
This year’s Bal Sahitya Puraskar winners represent a rich diversity of regional voices and genres. The awardees include Surendra Mohan Das for Mainaahantar Padya (Assamese, poetry), Tridib Kumar Chattopadhyay for Ekhono Gaye Kanta Daye (Bengali, stories), Binay Kumar Brahma for Khanthi Bwswn Arw Akhu Danai (Bodo, stories), P.L. Parihar ‘Shauq’ for Nanhi Tor (Dogri, poetry), Nitin Kushalappa MP for Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold (English, stories), and Kirtida Brahmbhatt for Tinchak (Gujarati, poetry).
Other notable winners include Susheel Shukla for Ek Batey Barah (Hindi, non-fiction & memoir), K. Shivalingappa Handihal for Notebook (Kannada, short stories), Izhar Mubashir for Shure Te Tchure Gyush (Kashmiri, short stories), Nayana Adarkar for Belabaicho Shanker Ani Heir Kanyo (Konkani, stories), Munni Kamat for Chukka (Maithili, short stories), Sreejith Moothedath for Penguinukalude Vankaravil (Malayalam, novel), and Shanto M. for Angangshing-Gee Shannabungshida (Manipuri, play).
The list also includes Suresh Govindrao Sawant for Abhaimaya (Marathi, poetry), Sangmu Lepcha for Shanti Van (Nepali, novel), Rajakishore Parhi for Kete Phula Phutichi (Odia, poetry), Pali Khadim (Amrit Pal Singh) for Jaddu Patta (Punjabi, novel), Bhogilal Patidar for Pankheruv Ni Peeda (Rajasthani, play), Preeti R. Pujara for Balvisvam (Sanskrit, poetry), Haralal Murmu for Sona Miru-ag Sandesh (Santali, poetry), Heena Agnani ‘Heer’ for Asmani Pari (Sindhi, poetry), Vishnupuram Sarvanan for Ottrai Siragu Oviya (Tamil, novel), Gangisetty Sivakumar for Kaburla Devatha (Telugu, story), and Ghazanfar Iqbal for Qaumi Sitare (Urdu, articles).
An Awardees’ Meet will take place the following day, November 15, at the Sahitya Akademi’s Ravindra Bhawan Auditorium on Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi. During the session, the awardees will share insights into their creative journeys. The event will be chaired by Kumud Sharma, Vice President of the Akademi.
The Bal Sahitya Puraskar, instituted by the Sahitya Akademi, continues to celebrate and encourage quality writing for children across India’s diverse linguistic and cultural landscape.