Sahitya Akademi Cancels Literary Awards Announcement Amid Ministry Directive
Cancellation of Awards Announcement
On Thursday, the Sahitya Akademi had to cancel a press conference intended to announce its annual literary awards due to a directive from the Union Ministry of Culture, as reported by a news source.
This prestigious literary institution, recognized as the national academy of letters in India, awards books in 24 different languages each year.
The press conference was set for 3 PM in Delhi, following a meeting of the Akademi's executive board, but was abruptly called off just moments before it was scheduled to start, halting the awards process.
According to a note sent to the Akademi prior to the event, the culture ministry indicated that a restructuring of the awards was currently underway, as reported by another news outlet.
The note stated, “This is to invite your attention to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Akademies and the ministry for the year 2025-’26, wherein it has been stipulated that the exercise of restructuring of awards is required to be undertaken in consultation with the ministry.”
Four autonomous organizations, including the National School of Drama, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the Lalit Kala Akademi, and the Sahitya Akademi, fall under the purview of the culture ministry. The note was addressed to all four entities.
The ministry's communication further emphasized that no awards could be declared until the restructuring process received its approval.
An unnamed official from the culture ministry explained that the note was necessary because the press conference was arranged without the ministry's awareness and without an approved selection process for the awardees.
Sources indicated that the MoUs for restructuring were aligned with a broader initiative being implemented by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
A member of the Akademi’s executive board mentioned that a proposal from a ministry representative to review the awardees' names had been turned down.
When the names of the winners were presented, the ministry official stated that they would review and announce them, according to the member's account.
The other board members contended that the ministry should not be involved in reviewing the names, asserting that once the board approved them, the secretary would handle the announcement. This was accepted by the official, and the board had already cleared the winners' names.
There were reportedly no suggestions from the ministry regarding additional names to include.
KP Ramanunni, a writer and executive board member, remarked that this was the first instance of such a cancellation in the Akademi's history, labeling the postponement of the awards as “unfortunate.”
MA Baby, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), criticized the Akademi for submitting its award recommendations to the Union government, calling it “extremely deplorable.”
In a social media statement, Baby noted, “This is the first time ever in its history that an autonomous body such as the Akademi is bowing down to the ruling powers and seeking their approval.”
He expressed disappointment that the Akademi, currently without a secretary, was seeking government permission, which he felt betrayed the vision of its founders.
Since the previous member secretary's retirement in October, a director-level official from the culture ministry has been acting as the member secretary of the literary body.
Baby condemned the influence of the ruling powers on cultural institutions, urging all who value literature to unite against this infringement on freedom of expression.
Extremely deplorable that the Sahitya Akademi has sent the recommendations for its awards to the Union Government. This is the first time ever in its history that an autonomous body such as the Akademi is bowing down to the ruling powers and seeking their approval. It is a shame…
— M A Baby (@MABABYCPIM) December 18, 2025