SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARD: NACHHATAR GETS HONOUR FOR PUNJABI NOVEL
Barnala-born Punjabi novelist Nachhatar and Panchkula-based Hindi critic Ramesh Kuntal Megh have bagged the prestigious Sahitya Akademi awards this time.
Nachhatar, 67, who is now based in Delhi, has been chosen for his novel ‘Slowdown’ and 80-plus Megh gets the honour for his work of literary criticism ‘Vishwa Mithak Sarit Sagar’
‘Slowdown’, which is set in Delhi, portrays the impact of recession on the lives of aspiring youths who suddenly find themselves without jobs.
Nachhatar has six novels and six collections of stories to his credit. His latest novel is ‘Cancer Train’, which dwells on the plight of those afflicted by the dreaded disease in the cotton belt of Malwa region.
Born in a Dalit family of Barnala, Nachhatar worked as a factory worker after Class 10 and supported his higher studies by working as clerk in Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana.
A truly self-made man, he went on to become a bank manager, making his home in Delhi.
Talking to HT over phone, Nachhatar said, “It feels good that ‘Slowdown’ has been chosen for this honour, though my novel ‘Cancer Train’ is set in Punjab.”
MEGH’S MAGNUM OPUS
Megh’s ‘Vishwa Mithak Sarit Sagar’ is his magnum opus on universal myths and aesthetics .
A protege of legendary Hindi writer Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, who founded the department of Hindi in the Panjab University in 1960, Megh did his research in aesthetics and completed his doctorate from Benaras Hindu Universiy.
Dwivedi invited him to Panjab university from where Megh moved to the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
Although born and educated in Uttar Pradesh, he later became associated with the northern region. Megh has to his credit several books. He is still active in the tricity’s literary circles .
OTHER AWARDEES
Mamang Dai has been chosen for his English novel ‘The Black Hill’, Niranjan Mishra for his Sanskrit novel ‘Gangaputravadanam’ and KP Ramanunni for ‘Daivathinte Pusthakam’ in Malayalam.
The poet winners are Udaya Narayana Singh (Maithili), Shrikant Deshmukh (Marathi), Bhujanga Tudu (Santali), Inqulab (Tamil) and Devipriya (Telugu).
Five writers awarded for short stories are Shiv Mehta (Dogri), Autar Krishen Rahbar (Kashmiri), Gajanan Jog (Konkani), Gayatri Saraf (Odia) and Baig Ehsas (Urdu).