Tamil writer Sivasankari was awarded the prestigious ‘Saraswati Samman’ in 2022 for her memoir "Surya Vamsam". This was the 32nd Saraswati Samman 2022.
- The K.K. Birla Foundation presented her with the award, along with a citation, a plaque, and a prize of ₹15 lakh.
- The book was selected by a Selection Committee (Chayan Parishad), chaired by former Supreme Court judge Arjan Kumar Sikri. The committee praised the exceptional literary value of "Surya Vamsam".
- The award was presented to Sivasankari by former Union Minister M. Veerappa Moily.
About Surya Vamsam
Surya Vamsam is a two-volume work that offers a profound glimpse into the life of an innocent child, who later evolved into an acclaimed author.
The book also beautifully reflects the societal transformations that have occurred over the past seven decades.
About Ms. Sivasankari
- Ms. Sivasankari, who was born in 1942, has enjoyed a remarkable literary career lasting over five decades. Her many accomplishments include 36 novels, 48 novelettes, 150 short stories, five travelogs, seven essay collections, and three biographies. Additionally, she has edited two anthologies of Tamil short stories.
- Ms. Sivasankari's literary brilliance shines through translations into various Indian languages, English, Japanese, and Ukrainian. Her ability to connect with a global audience underlines her versatility.
- Ms. Sivasankari's four-volume work, Knit India Through Literature, is one of her most significant contributions to Indian literature. This comprehensive anthology of Indian literature has enriched the literary landscape of the country and is a testament to her talent and dedication.
About the Saraswati Samman
The Saraswati Samman is one of India’s most prestigious literary awards, recognizing outstanding literary works by Indian citizens.
- Saraswati Samman is given by the K.K. Birla foundation since 1991.
- The recognized works must have been published in any of the languages included in Schedule VIII of the Indian Constitution within the last 10 years. To date, 32 Saraswati Samman awards have been presented to deserving authors.
Schedule VIII of the Constitution
Schedule VIII of the Constitution consists of the following 22 languages:
Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi,Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.
Initially 14 languages were included in the Constitution.
- By 21st Amendment Act of 1967 Sindhi language was added
- By the 71st Amendment Act of 1992 Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were included
- By the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003 Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added.
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NOTE: Senior Hindi poet and writer Prof. Ramdarash Mishra has been honored with the 31st Saraswati Samman 2021.
The first Saraswati Samman was given to Harivanshrai Bachchan.
The first woman winner of Saraswati Samman was Balamani Amma.