The Sahitya Akademi will host the annual Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025 ceremony, celebrating excellence in children’s literature, on Friday, 14 November 2025 at the Triveni Auditorium, Tansen Marg, New Delhi. The event will be presided over by Madhav Kaushik, President of the Akademi.
Eminent Gujarati writer Varsha Das will be the Chief Guest for the ceremony, while Kumud Sharma, Vice President of the Akademi, will propose the vote of thanks. The welcome address will be delivered by Pallavi Prashant Holkar, Secretary of the Sahitya Akademi.
List of Awardees and Works – Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025
The following writers have been selected for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025 for their exceptional contributions in various Indian languages:
| Language | Title of Work | Genre | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assamese | Mainaahantar Padya | Poetry | Surendra Mohan Das |
| Bengali | Ekhono Gaye Kanta Daye | Stories | Tridib Kumar Chattopadhyay |
| Bodo | Khanthi Bwswn Arw Akhu Danai | Stories | Binay Kumar Brahma |
| Dogri | Nanhi Tor | Poetry | P.L. Parihar ‘Shauq’ |
| English | Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold | Stories | Nitin Kushalappa MP |
| Gujarati | Tinchak | Poetry | Kirtida Brahmbhatt |
| Hindi | Ek Batey Barah | Non-fiction & Memoir | Susheel Shukla |
| Kannada | Notebook | Short Stories | K. Shivalingappa Handihal |
| Kashmiri | Shure Te Tchure Gyush | Short Stories | Izhar Mubashir |
| Konkani | Belabaicho Shanker Ani Heir Kanyo | Stories | Nayana Adarkar |
| Maithili | Chukka | Short Stories | Munni Kamat |
| Malayalam | Penguinukalude Vankaravil | Novel | Sreejith Moothedath |
| Manipuri | Angangshing-Gee Shannabungshida | Play | Shanto M. |
| Marathi | Abhaimaya | Poetry | Suresh Govindrao Sawant |
| Nepali | Shanti Van | Novel | Sangmu Lepcha |
| Odia | Kete Phula Phutichi | Poetry | Rajakishore Parhi |
| Punjabi | Jaddu Patta | Novel | Pali Khadim (Amrit Pal Singh) |
| Rajasthani | Pankheruv Ni Peeda | Play | Bhogilal Patidar |
| Sanskrit | Balvisvam | Poetry | Preeti R. Pujara |
| Santali | Sona Miru-ag Sandesh | Poetry | Haralal Murmu |
| Sindhi | Asmani Pari | Poetry | Heena Agnani ‘Heer’ |
| Tamil | Ottrai Siragu Oviya | Novel | Vishnupuram Sarvanan |
| Telugu | Kaburla Devatha | Story | Gangisetty Sivakumar |
| Urdu | Qaumi Sitare | Articles | Ghazanfar Iqbal |
Awards and Recognition
Each awardee will receive a cheque of Rs. 50,000 and a bronze plaque in recognition of their contribution to children’s literature. The Bal Sahitya Puraskar represents one of India’s most prestigious honours for authors writing for young readers across 24 recognized languages.
Post-Award Programme
An Awardee’s Meet will take place the following day, 15 November 2025, in the Ravindra Bhawan Auditorium of the Sahitya Akademi at Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi. The session will feature discussions where the awardees will share insights on their creative journeys. The meet will be chaired by the Vice President of the Akademi, Kumud Sharma.
The Bal Sahitya Puraskar continues to highlight India’s linguistic and cultural diversity through children’s literature, recognising emerging voices and established writers alike for their literary excellence.