On June 18, 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based Sahitya Akademi (India’s National Academy of Letters), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture (MoC), declared the winners of its Yuva Puraskar 2025 and Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025. The announcement followed approvals by the Executive Board, chaired by Sahitya Akademi President Madhav Kaushik.
- The books were selected based on the recommendations of three-member juries constituted for each of the 24 Indian languages, following the rules and procedures prescribed by the Sahitya Akademi.
- Each winner will be honoured at a special function, to be held at a later date, with a casket containing an engraved copper plaque and a cash award of Rs. 50,000.
Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar 2025:
i.Instituted in 2011, this literary honour recognises young writers under 35 years of age for their outstanding works in any of the 24 major Indian languages.
ii.In 2025, a total of 23 authors were selected for the award, with no award conferred in Dogri this year. The awards will be presented across six categories, including 9 in Poetry, 5 in Novel, 4 in Short Stories, 3 in Criticism, 1 in Essays, and 1 in Epic.
Winners of Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar 2025:
| S.No | Awardee | Language | Book Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poetry | |||
| 1 | Parvati Tirkey | Hindi | Phir Ugna |
| 2 | Amar Khungur Boro | Bodo | Ang Asur |
| 3 | Fagu Baskey | Santali | Ala Saon inj |
| 4 | Sudeshna Moitra | Bengali | Ekrokha Chiruni Tollashi |
| 5 | Neha Jha Mani | Maithili | Banaras Aa Hum |
| 6 | Subash Thakuri | Nepali | Junko Aansu |
| 7 | Mandeep Aulakh | Punjabi | Girls Hostel |
| 8 | Poonam Chand Godara | Rajasthani | Antas re aanganai |
| 9 | Manthan Bachani | Sindhi | Pandhiyado |
| Novel | |||
| 1 | Advait Kottary | English | Siddhartha: The Boy Who Became the Buddha |
| 2 | Akhil P. Dharmajan | Malayalam | Ram C/O Anandhi |
| 3 | Pradeep Kokare | Marathi | Khel Khel Dukhana Dele |
| 4 | Prasad Suri | Telugu | Mairaavana |
| 5 | Neha Rubab | Urdu | Maulard Haqeqat, Thereek-e-Azadi-e-Hind: Hind Ka Faramosh Kardah Qaaed |
| Short Stories | |||
| 1 | Suprakash Bhuyan | Assamese | Kuchiyanama |
| 2 | Glynis Dias | Konkani | Gaavgaathaa |
| 3 | Subrat Kumar Senapati | Odia | Kadambabana |
| 4 | Latshmihar | Tamil | Kuttonru Kutirru |
| Criticism | |||
| 1 | R. Dileepkumar | Kannada | Pacceya Jaguli |
| 2 | Saiqa Sehar | Kashmiri | Harfas Harfas Zaag |
| 3 | Dheeraj Kumar Pandey | Sanskrit | Paribhashikshabd-swarasyam(vedantparibhashasandarbhe) |
| Essays | |||
| 1 | Mayur Khavdu | Gujarati | Narsinh Tekari |
| Epic | |||
| 1 | A. K. Jiten | Manipuri | Khoyum Nongdam Cow |
Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025:
i.Established in 2010, this award recognises excellence in children’s literature aimed at readers aged 9 to 16 years, written in any of the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, as well as English and Rajasthani. The award excludes translations and anthologies.
ii.In 2025, a total of 24 authors were selected for the award across seven categories, including 8 in Poetry, 5 in Stories, 4 in Short Stories, 4 in Novel, 1 in Drama, 1 in Articles, and 1 in Play.
iii.The Awards relate to books first published during the five years immediately preceding year of the Award (i.e. between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2023).
Winners of Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025:
| S.No | Awardee | Language | Book Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poetry | |||
| 1 | Surendra Mohan Das | Assamese | Mainaahatar Padya |
| 2 | P.L.Parihar “Shauq” | Dogri | Nanhi Tor |
| 3 | Kirtida Brahmbhatt | Gujarati | Tinchak |
| 4 | Suresh Sawant | Marathi | Aabhalmaya |
| 5 | Rajakishore Parhi | Odia | Kete Phula Phutichi |
| 6 | Preeti Pujara | Sanskrit | Balvisvam |
| 7 | Haralal Murmu | Santali | Sona miru-ag Sandesh |
| 8 | Heena Agnani ‘Heer’ | Sindhi | Asmani pari |
| Stories | |||
| 1 | Tridib Kumar Chattopadhyay | Bengali | Ekhono Gaye Kanta Daye |
| 2 | Binay Kumar Brahma | Bodo | Khanthi Bwswn Arw Akhu Danai |
| 3 | Nitin Kushalappa MP | English | Dakshin South Indian Myths and Fables Retold |
| 4 | Nayana Adarkar | Konkani | Belabaicho Shankar Aani Haer Kanyo |
| 5 | Gangisetti Sivakumar | Telugu | Kaburla Devatha |
| Short Stories | |||
| 1 | Sushil Shukla | Hindi | Ek Batey Bara |
| 2 | K. Shivalingappa Handihal | Kannada | Notebook |
| 3 | Izhar Mubashir | Kashmiri | Shure Te Tchure Gyush |
| 4 | Munni Kamat | Maithili | Chukka |
| Novel | |||
| 1 | Sreejith Moothedath | Malayalam | Penguinukalute Vankarayil |
| 2 | Sangmu Lepcha | Nepali | Shanti Van |
| 3 | Pali Khadim (Amrit Pal Singh) | Punjabi | Jadoo Patta |
| 4 | Vishnupuram Saravanan | Tamil | Ottrai Siragu Oviya |
| Drama | |||
| 1 | Bhogilal Patidar | Rajasthani | Pankheruvan Ni Pira |
| Articles | |||
| 1 | Ghazanfar Iqbal | Urdu | Qaumi Sitare |
| Play | |||
| 1 | Shanto M. | Manipuri | Angangshinggee Shannabungsida |
About Sahitya Akademi:
The Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (GoI), dedicated to promoting and preserving literature in the 24 recognised Indian languages.
President – Madhav Kaushik
Headquarters – New Delhi (Delhi)
Founded – 1954
