Indian poet, critic, editor, translator, and academic K. Satchidanandan will be conferred the eighth Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Poetry Award at the 16th Jaipur Literature Festival, to be held from 19 to -23 January.
The Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Award for Poetry, given in association with the Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Foundation, is a tribute to Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia and his immense repertoire. In addition to a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, the winner receives a memento of appreciation along with a felicitation at the festival.
A former secretary of the Sahitya Akademi, Satchidanandan has authored 21 collections of poetry, 16 books of translations of world poetry and 21 works of literary criticism in Malayalam and English besides plays and travelogues. He has won 25 awards for his literary contribution from diverse institutions in India and abroad and is a Fellow of the Kerala Academy of Literature. Representative collections of his poetry have appeared in 18 languages. His work has appeared in anthologies of poetry in several countries across the world from the US to Australia.
An eminent jury comprising festival co-director Namita Gokhale; managing director, Teamwork Arts, and festival producer Sanjoy K Roy; eminent poets Ranjit Hoskote and Anamika; and Siddharth Sethia of the Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Foundation selected Satchidanandan for this year’s award.
Announcing the award, Siddharth Sethia, Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Foundation, said, “Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Poetry award in association with the Jaipur Literature Festival is a platform which brings the versatility of Indian poetry to a global audience.”
Sanjoy K Roy said, “We are delighted to present the 8th Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal Sethia Award for poetry, recognizing an extraordinary body of work by a pioneering poet. This year, as we celebrate the power of literature, all our nominees have showcased their brilliance and artistry with words, creating magic and transporting us to a different realm. Our award-winner for 2023 is the celebrated poet, critic, editor, translator, academic and thinker, K Satchidanandan.”
