Tamil Nadu Announces 'Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu' National Literary Award
The state casts the prize as a corrective to uncertainty around the Sahitya Akademi awards.
Overview
- Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the award on Sunday during the valedictory of the Chennai International Book Fair.
- Tamil Nadu will sponsor an annual, national-level prize while independent, language-specific committees select winners.
- The first phase will recognize works in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odiya, Bengali and Marathi.
- Each selected language will carry a Rs 5 lakh cash award for the best work.
- Stalin linked the move to the cancelled Sahitya Akademi awards announcement, with committee appointments and timelines still to be detailed.