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New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Sahitya Akademi, India’s premier literary institution, announced its prestigious annual awards for 2025 on Monday, honouring outstanding contributions across 24 Indian languages.

Among the recipients is Girijakumar Baliyar Singh from Odisha, who has been selected for the Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia for his poetry collection ‘Padapurana’. First published in 2020, the work has been lauded for its profound lyrical quality, seamlessly merging traditional spiritual themes with insightful reflections on contemporary social issues in Odisha.

Congratulating Singh, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi wrote on X: “This achievement of yours has provided a new introduction to Odia literature at the national level. I pray to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath for your bright future and continued progress.”

In total, eight poetry collections, four novels, six short story collections, two essay works, one literary criticism, one autobiography and two memoirs have been selected for the prestigious honour. Other poetry winners include notable entries in languages such as Bengali (Shrestha Kabita), Dogri (Thakur Satsayie), Gujarati (Bhattkhadaki), Kashmiri (Najdavanek’y Pot Aalav), Sanskrit (Prasthanacatustaye Brahmaghosah), Telugu (Animesha by Nandini Sidha Reddy), and Urdu (Safar Jaari Hai), among others.

Each awardee will receive a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. The award presentation ceremony is scheduled to be held on March 31 in New Delhi.

In June last year, three authors from Odisha were selected for Bal Sahitya Puraskar and Yuva Puraskar for 2025 by the Kendra Sahitya Akademi, in both Odia and Santali languages. Dr. Rajkishore Padhi was picked for Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his children’s book ‘Kete Phula Phutichi’ and Subrat Kumar Senapati for Yuva Puraskar for his short story collection ‘Kadamba Bana’. Similarly, Yuva Puraskar will be conferred on Mayurbhanj’s Fagu Baskey for his poetry collection ‘Ala Saon Inj’ in Santali language.

However, a press conference to announce its annual literary awards was cancelled on December 18, 2025, following a directive from the Union Ministry of Culture, which cited an MoU requiring a “restructuring of awards” for various cultural bodies, including the Sahitya Akademi.