Bhubaneswar: Two promising voices in Odia literature — Subrat Senapati and Rajkishore Padhi — have been selected for the prestigious 2024 Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar, respectively. The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Kendra Sahitya Akademi, recognising their outstanding literary achievements in the Odia language.
Subrat Senapati will receive the Yuva Puraskar for his short story collection Kadambana, which has garnered attention for its originality, emotional depth, and fresh narrative style. The collection reflects contemporary Odia society and captures the complexities of modern life through compelling storytelling.
Rajkishore Padhi has been chosen for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his children’s book Kete Phula Phutichhi, which blends creativity with cultural richness. The book, filled with vivid imagery and engaging language, has been lauded for nurturing imagination and moral values among young readers.
As per the Akademi’s official release, each award carries a cash prize of ₹50,000 and a copper plaque engraved with the Akademi’s emblem. The awards will be conferred at a special ceremony to be held in the coming months.
The Yuva Puraskar is conferred annually to emerging writers aged 35 and under, recognising their literary contributions in one of the 24 recognised Indian languages. The Bal Sahitya Puraskar is awarded to authors who have enriched children’s literature with their creative and thoughtful works.
The selection of Senapati and Padhi underscores a growing interest in both young and children’s literature in Odia and reaffirms the role of literature in shaping thought, culture, and identity across generations.
