From News Desk
Amar Ujala Foundation has announced the recipients of the Amar Ujala Shabd Samman 2025, with the Akashdeep Award being conferred on eminent Hindi short-story writer Mamta Kalia and renowned Manipuri author Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi for their outstanding contributions to Indian literature.
The Akashdeep Award, the highest honour under the Shabd Samman, recognises one distinguished litterateur from Hindi and one from a non-Hindi Indian language each year. Both awardees will receive a cash prize of Rs 5,00,000/-, a citation and a Ganga sculpture as a symbol of honour.
The selection of two women writers this year holds special significance. The year 2025 marks the Golden Jubilee of the UN-declared International Women’s Year (1975), while 2026 has been dedicated by the United Nations to women’s contributions to agriculture, lending the awards added contemporary relevance.
Born on November 2nd, 1940, Mamta Kalia is one of Hindi literature’s most influential voices. Emerging during the early phase of feminist writing in India, she has authored more than a dozen notable works and is widely acclaimed for articulating middle-class realities and the evolving identity of women through her writing.
Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi, born on January 1st, 1957 as Dr Thounaojam Chanu Ibemhal, is a leading figure in Manipuri literature. Her prolific body of work engages deeply with postcolonial thought, women’s identity and Meitei myths, making her a powerful contemporary literary voice in the Manipuri language.
Since its inception, the Akashdeep Award has honoured distinguished writers across languages including Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Malayalam, Gujarati and now Manipuri. Past recipients include literary stalwarts such as Girish Karnad, Bhalchandra Nemade, Shankha Ghosh, Pratibha Ray, MT Vasudevan Nair, Sitanshu Yashaschandra; and in Hindi, Namvar Singh, Gyanranjan, Vishwanath Tripathi, Shekhar Joshi, Vinod Kumar Shukla and Govind Mishra.
Yashwant Vyas, Group Advisor at Amar Ujala and Convener of the Shabd Samman, stated that the initiative was launched in 2018 with the vision of strengthening and celebrating the collective spirit of Indian languages.
Best Work Awards Announced
Alongside the Akashdeep honours, Amar Ujala has also announced the Best Hindi Literary Works of 2024 under the Shabd Samman–2025 –
- Chhap (Poetry) – Vaasna Ek Nadi Ka Naam Hai by Savita Singh
- Non-Fiction – Mutah by Naish Hasan
- Fiction – Curfew Ki Raat by Shahadat
- Bhasha-Bandhu Translation Award – Sujata Shiven for the Hindi translation of Charu Chivar aur Charya (original Odia work by Pradeep Dash)
- Thaap Award (First Book) – Sudhaargrih Ki Malikainen by Manish Yadav
Each of these awardees will receive a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000/-, a citation and a Ganga sculpture.
The selections were made by a distinguished jury comprising Varsha Das, Vibhuti Narayan Rai, Dhirendra Asthana, Damodar Khadse and Balram.
The Amar Ujala Shabd Samman 2025 awards will be presented at a formal ceremony to be held shortly.
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