-Educationist Prabhashankar Premi honoured for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of Hindi in South India

Bengaluru, 28 December (H.S.):

Renowned tribal poet from Jharkhand, Jacinta Kerketta, was conferred the prestigious ‘Agyeya Shabd Srijan Samman’, carrying a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, by ‘Shabd’, one of South India’s most distinguished literary organizations. The felicitation took place on Sunday during the 28th Annual and Award Presentation Ceremony of the institution, held in Bengaluru.

Alongside the main award, Prof. (Dr.) T.G. Prabhashankar Premi, an eminent educationist and retired professor from the Department of Hindi, Bengaluru University, was honoured with the ‘Dakshin Bharat Shabd Hindi Sevi Samman’ for his exceptional contribution to promoting Hindi in South India. The distinction carried a cash award of ₹25,000, along with a shawl, memento, citation plaque, and a ceremonial coconut as traditional tokens of respect.

During the award presentation, Jacinta Kerketta, while receiving the ‘Agyeya Shabd Srijan Samman,’ expressed deep gratitude to the institution for recognizing her literary efforts. She emphasized that for a writer—especially a woman writer—having a genuine understanding of one’s community, culture, and identity is essential. She said that by honoring her, Shabd had acknowledged the voice of tribal identity and the poetry emerging from the margins of society.

Meanwhile, Dr. T.G. Prabhashankar Premi, on accepting the ‘Dakshin Bharat Shabd Hindi Sevi Samman,’ reflected on the importance of cultural harmony amid present-day social tensions. He remarked that in an age of cultural clashes, “developing love and mutual understanding has become the new civic duty of every citizen.” He further pointed out that language is the repository of culture, and each community instinctively protects its language.

However, he noted, India’s multilingualism strengthens the nation’s unity through its diversity.The event’s chief guest, noted thinker and former Cultural Ambassador of India to UNESCO, Chiranjeev Singh, delivered an inspiring address, remarking that “Literature is the light of life, and poetry is the anthem of human civilization.” He asserted that true literature reflects the rhythm of life, and the finest human expressions are preserved through poetry, stating that vibrant nations always cherish their poets.

The ceremony began with a welcome address by Dr. Shrinarayan Sameer, President of Shabd. He expressed that the primary aim of Shabda’s annual awards is to bring literature and writers back to the intellectual center of society. He added that if this southern endeavor inspires innovative literary movements in northern India, it would strengthen the spirit of a unified Indian identity.

The prestigious ‘Agyeya Shabd Srijan Samman’ is sponsored by the Babulal Gupta Foundation, instituted in memory of social worker and Agyeya literature scholar Babulal Gupta. The ‘Dakshin Bharat Shabd Hindi Sevi Samman’ is supported by the Hindi daily newspapers ‘Dakshin Bharat Rashtramat’, published from Bengaluru and Chennai.

As part of the ceremony, the poetry collection ‘Peedhiyon Ki Peer’ (The Pain of Generations) by young poet Deepak Sopori, a member of Shabd, was formally released.

The proceedings were conducted by Dr. Usharani Rao, Secretary of Shabd, while Shreekant Sharma, the program coordinator, delivered the vote of thanks.The second session of the event featured an engaging Poets’ Conference (Kavi Sammelan), presided over by lyricist Anand Mohan Jha and compered by noted Ghazal poet Vidyakrishna.

The evening resonated with poetic recitations by Shabd’s resident poets, leaving the audience captivated by their performances and lyrical depth.The vibrant literary gathering not only celebrated achievements in Hindi literature but also reaffirmed South India’s growing engagement with Hindi as a bridge of cultural unity across regions.

The event concluded with an air of enthusiasm and a collective commitment to literary enrichment and national harmony.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar