Authors MT Vasudevan Nair and Vinod Kumar Shukla Set To Receive ‘Aakashdeep’ Lifetime Achievement Award

Renowned Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla and Malayalam author-filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair will be honoured with the 'Aakashdeep' lifetime achievement award for their exceptional contributions to literature, culture, and society. MT Vasudevan Nair shared his feelings about receiving this honour, saying, "We gather experiences like children collecting beautiful pebbles in their pockets. This is how, over time, experiences come alive in writing." India News | Writers Vinod Kumar Shukla, MT Nair to Be Honoured with 'Aakashdeep' Award.

MT Vasudevan Nair is a multifaceted personality known for his profound impact on modern Malayalam art and literature. As an acclaimed author and filmmaker, Nair has contributed significantly to shaping the cultural narrative of Kerala. Over the past seven decades, he has authored nine novels and 19 short stories, directed six films, and penned several collections of essays and memoirs. At the age of 25, he won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for his second novel, Naalukettu (1959), and a decade later, his fifth novel, Kaalam, earned him the Kendra Sahitya Akademi medal.

Vinod Kumar Shukla, born on January 1, 1937, in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, is a luminary in Hindi literature. His unparalleled insights and prowess have made a lasting impression on the literary landscape. Shukla's journey in the realm of Hindi literature has been marked by a unique blend of creativity and thought-provoking narratives, earning him admiration and respect. On being honoured with this award, Vinod Kumar Shukla said, "I don't think in words; I think in images. Writing is an unfinished task, and I consider it a responsibility." Noida Authority Wins Award for Water Reuse, STP.

Hindi News group Amar Ujala establishes the 'Aakashdeep' award. Amar Ujala's Group Advisor, Yashwant Vyas, and coordinator of Shabd Samman stated that the Amar Ujala Foundation celebrates the power of Indian languages and their collective dream. The 'Aakashdeep' Award, the highest honour in this category, includes a cash prize of Rs five lakh, a certificate of commendation, and a symbolic Ganga statue.

The 'Aakashdeep' Award, previously bestowed upon luminaries in Kannada (Girish Karnad), Marathi (Bhalchandra Nemade), Bengali (Shankh Ghosh), and Oriya (Pratibha Rai), has chosen Malayalam as the language of honour for the current year. Past recipients include distinguished figures in Hindi, such as Namvar Singh, Gyanranjan, Vishwanath Tripathi, and Shekhar Joshi.

In addition to individual awards, the Shabd Samman Amar Ujala-23 are announced for the Best Literary Works of the Year. Kumar Ambuj's poetry collection Upasheershak, Manoj Rupada's story collection Dahan and Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit's Sundar Ke Swapna in the non-fiction category receive recognition as the best literary works of the year. The first book, Thaap category, acknowledges Chinmayi Tripathi's work. Apni Kahi and Malini Gautam were awarded the Bhasha Bandhu Award for the Hindi translation of Gujarati Dalit poetry.