Sahitya Akademi announces 'Bhasha Samman' awards

Three scholars have been awarded the prestigious Sahitya Akademi 'Bhasha Samman' for contribution to classical and medieval literature in various languages.

K Meenakshi Sundaram has been selected for contributions to Classical and Medieval Literature (Southern) for year 2013 while Acharya Munishwar Jha has been recognised for Classical and Medieval Literature (Eastern) for the year 2014, the Akademi said in a statement today.

Charu Chandra Pande and Mathuradutt Mathpal have been jointly recognised for their work towards the enrichment of Kumauni, a language not recognised by the Akademi.

The 'Bhasha Samman' carries a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000, an inscribed copper plaque and a citation. In case of joint winners, the prize money is equally shared between the winners.

The award will be presented to them by the President of the Sahitya Akademi at a special function to be held later.

Meenakshisundaram, born in 1925, is an authority on Cilappatikaram, an ancient Tamil epic, and has written scholarly essays on Tirukkural and made rich contribution to medieval literature.

Acharya Munishwar Jha, born in 1928 an eminent scholar, teacher and educationist, and a former vice-chancellor of Kameshwar Singh Darbangha Sanskrit University in Bihar, has made valuable contribution in the area of Sanskrit literature for which he was honoured with the Presidential Award in 2006.

He has to his credit over more than a dozen books in Hindi, English, Maithili and Sanskrit. Among which Vidyapati Vanmaya (Maithili), Tapasa Kavi Vidyapati (Maithili), Bhu-Parikramanam (Sanskrit) among others. He also worked on a project on Maithili Bhashaki, Evolution and Reconstruction of the Maithili Language.

Charu Chandra Pande, born in 1923 in Uttarakhand has worked extensively on Kumauni language and has published Sej Gumani, Eco Farms Hills (in English), Chhodo Gulami Khitab and Angwal.

Mathuradutt Mathpal, born in 1942, in Uttarakhand is a poet, teacher and Kumauni scholar. He has published Aang-Aang Chichail Haigo (poetry), Mook Geet (a book based on famous Kumauni poet Pandit Kripal Dutt Joshi) among with translation of many poems in Hindi.