EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Mar 5: The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages has announced the prestigious Best Book Awards for the year 2009-10 in nine languages of the state.
In Kashmiri language, the award has gone to "Yim Maine Sokhan", a poetic collection by a Kashmiri poet and short story writer Amin Kamil, whereas in Dogri, "Lalla Ded", a Dogri adaptation of the story of Lalla Ded, the mystic poetess of Kashmir by Ved Rahi, a distinguished writer and Bollywood celebrity, has made it to the award.
In Urdu, the award has gone to "Mera Rakht-e-Safar" by Tarannum Riyaz, a prominent female literary voice, and in English, "Kashmiri Folklore" by Dr. Farooq Fayaz has been found eligible for the award.
"Rang Rutan Gulzar" of Sabir Mirza and "Jaan-e-Gazal" of Jan Mohammed Hakeem have got the award in Pahari and Gojri languages respectively. In Punjabi, "Band Darwazey Da Birtand" by Harbhajan Singh Sagar and in Hindi, "Me Samunder Hi Ho Sakta Tha"" by Shyam Bihari has got the highest literary award of the state. In Ladakhi language, the award has gone to the book "Gan Shar Sems Ki Melong" by Tsering Chospal.
Giving details, Secretary Cultural Academy, Zafar Iqbal Manhas said that under the scheme of Best Book Awards, the Academy gives away an equal prize of Rs 51000 to the best books written in languages enshrined in the Constitution of the Jammu and Kashmir and to those recognised by the Academy such as Kashmiri, Urdu, Pahari, Balti, Gojri, English, Dogri, Hindi, Ladakhi, and Punjabi.
"In response to our notice inviting entries for the award, we had received 22 books in Kashmiri, 19 books in Dogri, 5 books in Pahari, 4 books in Gojri, 13 books in Hindi, 8 books in English, 25 books in Urdu, 2 books in Ladakhi and 8 books in Punjabi for the competition for the year 2009-10," Zafar informed.
"It was on the basis of these evaluations that nine books were recommended to the President, Chief Minister, for his approval," Manhas said.
Interestingly, under the Best Book Award scheme, the authors of the books are honoured with cash prizes, citations and shawls by the Chief Minister in his capacity as the President of the Cultural Academy.
Zafar said that the awards would be given soon after the President confirms his availability for which he had been requested.
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