Saraswati Samman
さらすわてぃ・さまん
An annual literary award presented by the K.K. Birla Foundation for outstanding prose or poetry published in one of India's 23 recognized languages.
Literary awardPoetryProseMultilingual (India's 23 languages)
- Established
- 1991
- Organizer
- K. K. Birla Foundation
- Category
- Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
- Selection Method
- Recommendation
- Target
- Professional
- Frequency
- 1 per year
- Announcement Period
- around March–April
- Status
- Active
Description
Saraswati Samman is an annual literary award established in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation, awarded to outstanding prose or poetry works written in one of the 23 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and published within the past 10 years. The prize consists of a cash award (₹1,500,000), a certificate, and a commemorative plaque, judged by a selection committee including scholars and past recipients. Winners are announced annually, with the first recipient in 1991 being Harivansh Rai Bachchan (34 recipients as of 2024).
Prize
- Main Prize
- Cash prize (₹1,500,000), certificate, and commemorative plaque
- Cash Prize
- 1,500,000 INR
- Certificate
- Plaque (plate)
Selection
Selection Process
| Stage | Judges | Pass Rate | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate Selection | Selection committee including scholars and past awardees | — | The selection committee selects candidate works, and K.K. Birla Foundation makes the official announcement |
| Final Selection | Same as above (Final decision by the selection committee) | — | The final winner is announced officially by the foundation and at the award ceremony |
Candidate Selection
Judges
Selection committee including scholars and past awardees
Announcement
The selection committee selects candidate works, and K.K. Birla Foundation makes the official announcement
Final Selection
Judges
Same as above (Final decision by the selection committee)
Announcement
The final winner is announced officially by the foundation and at the award ceremony
Criteria
- Literary excellence (poetry or prose)
- Originality and perfection of expression
- Written in one of the 23 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution
- The work has been published within the past 10 years
- Contribution to literature as a whole work
Application Tips
Dos
- 対象作品がインド憲法第八附則の23言語のいずれかで、過去10年以内に出版されていることを確認する
- 出版社や候補者がノミネーション可能な場合は、正確な出版情報（刊行年、出版社、ISBNなど）を準備する
- 作品の独自性、文学的完成度、言語表現の豊かさを強調する補助資料（書評や受賞歴など）を用意する
- 作品全体としての貢献や文脈を説明できる要約・推薦文を用意する
Don''ts
- 未発表の作品を応募しない（受賞対象は出版済みの作品が原則）
- 過去10年という適格期間を満たさない作品を提出しない
- 申請書類に虚偽や不正確な情報を記載しない
- 原著ではなく翻訳のみで応募しない（翻訳の扱いは要確認）
From Judges
- 文学的完成度と作者固有の声を重視する
- 言語と文体の掌握、文化的・思想的深さが評価の重要なポイントになる
- 作品が持つ普遍性と同時に地域性・言語固有の表現を見落とさないでほしい
- 出版社や推薦者は正確な出版本情報を整え、作品の評価に役立つ資料を提供すること
Related Awards
- Jnanpith Award
- Moortidevi Award
Official Resources
http://www.kkbirlafoundation.org/saraswati.htmlPast Winners
Prabha Varma
Winner
Sivasankari
Winner
S. L. Bhyrappa
Winner
Surjit Patar
Winner
Naiyer Masud
Winner