National award for Indian literature planned

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 15. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) plans to institute a national award for Indian writers in Indian literature. This was disclosed here today by the Union HRD Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, at a function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to give away the Hindi Seva Samman Awards.

Though Dr. Joshi did not elaborate, he said it would be on the pattern of world-class awards. Such an award would help promote Indian languages and bring recognition to Indian writers.

The Government was considering enhancing the prize money of the Hindi Seva Samman Awards from Rs. 1 lakh at present. Expressing happiness that Hindi had succeeded in crossing national barriers, he asserted that it was the symbol of India's unity and integrity, and that the Government wanted to develop links between it and other languages.

In all, 13 awards were given away by the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan. Among the awardees was Prof. Jin Ding Han of China, who bagged the Dr. George Grierson Award for a foreign Hindi scholar. Through these awards, the Government accords recognition to people in various categories, including propagation and training of Hindi, Hindi journalism and creative literature, and scientific and technical literature.

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Section  : National
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