Bhubaneswar, June 20, 2025: The Central Sahitya Akademi has selected three authors from Odisha for the prestigious Bal Sahitya Puraskar and Yuva Puraskar for 2025, recognizing their outstanding contributions in Odia and Santali literature. The announcement was made on Wednesday following the Akademi’s executive board meeting, chaired by President Madhav Kaushik.
In the Odia language category, Subrat Kumar Senapati, an assistant professor at SOA University’s Institute of Agricultural Sciences, has been awarded the Yuva Puraskar for his short story collection Kadambabana. Rajkishore Padhi, a celebrated author who previously won the Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award in 2015, will receive the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his poetry book Kete Phula Phutichi. In the Santali language category, Fagu Baskey, an assistant teacher at Kumbhir Mundi Primary School in Mayurbhanj’s Bangriposi block, has been chosen for the Yuva Puraskar for his poetry collection Ala Saon Inj.
The selections were made based on recommendations from distinguished juries. The Odia jury for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar included writers Niladri Bhusan Harichandan, Sankuntala Baliarsingh, and Ramachandra Nayak, while the Yuva Puraskar jury comprised Yashodhara Mishra, Rabi Swain, and Suvash Chandra Satapathy. The Santali jury consisted of Dulee Hembram, Kasunath Soren, and Madan Mohan Soren. The Bal Sahitya Puraskar recognizes books published between 2019 and 2023.
Each awardee will be honored with an engraved copper plaque and a cash prize of ₹50,000 at a special function organized by the Sahitya Akademi at a later date. The awards celebrate the rich literary talent of Odisha, showcasing its diversity in both Odia and Santali languages.
