Tamil Nadu Launches State Award for Non-Hindi Language Writers

The Tamil Nadu government has announced a new annual state-sponsored literary honour aimed at recognising outstanding works in major Indian languages other than Hindi. The initiative was unveiled by Chief Minister M K Stalin at the valedictory ceremony of the Chennai International Book Fair, marking a significant policy intervention in the field of Indian literature.

Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu Announced

The award has been named the “Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu (Classical Language Literary Award)” and will be instituted under the auspices of the Tamil Nadu government. Each award will carry a cash prize of ₹5 lakh. The Chief Minister stated that the award will be conferred annually and will have a national-level character, recognising literary excellence across linguistic boundaries.

Languages Covered in the First Phase

In the initial phase, the award will be presented for the best literary works in seven Indian languages: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odiya, Bengali and Marathi. The selection of languages reflects the state’s emphasis on classical and major regional languages with long literary traditions. The government indicated that the scope of the award may expand in subsequent phases.

Concerns Over Autonomy in Literary Awards

During his address, the Chief Minister referred to the cancellation of the Sahitya Akademi awards announcement, alleging intervention by the Union Culture Ministry. He described political interference in literary and artistic spaces as dangerous and detrimental to creative freedom. He noted that writers and representatives of literary bodies had approached the state government seeking a constructive response to the prevailing uncertainty.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• Semmozhi Illakiya Virudhu is a Tamil Nadu state-sponsored literary award.
• The award carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh for each selected language.
• Seven languages are covered in the first phase, including Tamil and Bengali.
• Independent expert committees will handle the selection process.

Independent Selection Mechanism

To ensure credibility and transparency, the Tamil Nadu government will act only as a patron and will entrust the selection process to independent experts. Separate committees comprising reputed writers will be constituted for each language. The state government emphasised that this structure is intended to safeguard literary quality while insulating the awards from political influence.