Two writers from Assam bagged the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award for 2018, the results of which were announced on Wednesday.
Poet Sananta Tanty has been chosen for the award for his poetry collection Kailoir Dinto Amar Hobo (Tomorrow Will Be Ours) in Assamese and Rituraj Basumatary for his short story collection Dwngse Lama (A Path) in Bodo.
Tanty, one of the few prominent writers from the tea garden community, said he was happy at the Akademi’s acknowledgement to his contribution.
“I feel good when I get an award acknowledging my work. I am happy that the Sahitya Akademi has acknowledged my creation.
Besides, the financial amount of the award will help me in my treatment,” Tanty, a resident of Mathura Nagar here, said.
The 66-year-old writer has been fighting cancer for some time now.
The 56 poems in the 104-page Kailoir Dinto Amar Hobo talks about society and people along with his personal struggles.
On the other hand, Dwngse Lama is the maiden book by Basumatary, a teacher at Langhing Pamgaon Higher Secondary School in Karbi Anglong district. It is a collection of 23 short stories that bears influence of short stories by Assamese writers Nagen Saikia and Saurabh Kumar Chaliha. Basumatary has done his post-graduation in Assamese literature.
Sananta Tanty’s Kailoir Dinto Amar Hobo The Telegraph picture
“I was impressed and inspired by their (Saikia and Chaliha) short stories which do not give importance to the usual character and plot,” said the 55-year-old writer, who has recently published his second book, Mwmse Simang Nenanwi (Waiting for a Dream), a poetry collection.
“The award for me is an encouragement to write again,” Basumatary said. He lives at Langhin Tiniali in Karbi Anglong.
The jury for Assamese comprised Atanu Bhattacharyya, Dipti Phukan Patgiri and Paramananda Rajbongshi. The jury for Bodo comprised Aurobindo Uzir, Bhupen Narzaree and Mangal Singh Hazowary.
This year seven books of poetry, six novels, six collections of short stories, three on literary criticism and two of essays in 24 languages won the award.
