The Sahitya Akademi Award 2019 was announced on Wednesday, awarding writers across 23 languages. The awards were announced by Sahitya Akademi in a press release. Among the 23 writers, Jayashree Goswami Mahanta has been awarded for her novel Chanakya, written in the Assamese language.
Key Takeaways:
- Jayashree Goswami Mahanta is a politician and held office at Rajya Sabha during 1999-2001 as a member of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
- She is an Assamese language writer and educationalist.
- She was awarded the highest civilian award Padma Shree in 2018.
- She has promised to distribute the prize money among the families of those killed in Anti-Citizenship Law protests in Assam.
“I received the news of being given the award but I am not as happy as I should be on hearing it due to the prevailing troubled situation in the state,” - Jayashree Goswami Mahanta
Early Life
Jayashree Goswami Mahanta was born on January 1, 1960 in Assam. She later went on to join the state political party Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). AGP is a political party in Assam. Mahanta is the wife of a former Chief Minister and a strong opposition leader of the Amendment Citizenship Act and the wife of former chief minister Prafulla Mahanta.
Literary Body Of Work
Mahanta came to limelight for her literary work in December 2016, when the Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal released five books authored by her. These books include - Drocharya, Asom Andolan (Part seven), Srestha Bidesi Golpo, Ekuki Dhemelia Sadhu and Thothar Anguthi. “Literature is the mirror of society and it plays a great role in bringing about an intellectual awakening in society. Society is reflected through literature and people can draw inspirations from the timeless works of master litterateurs,” Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal said while releasing the books.
In her books, Mahanta has perfectly highlighted the different facets of society. Sonowal had a word of praise for Mahanta for successfully publishing five books within a year and that too on five different topics, which is no mean feat.
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“Not As Happy As I Should Be”
After the awards were announced this Wednesday, Jayashree said that she isn't as happy as she should be. “I received the news of being given the award but I am not as happy as I should be on hearing it due to the prevailing troubled situation in the state,” she said. Adding to her statement, she also promised to distribute the prize money among the families of those killed during Anti-Citizenship protests.
She also took a dig at AGP for supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said that she is deeply hurt at the betrayal by 'those elected by people.'
"Society is reflected through literature and people can draw inspirations from the timeless works of master litterateurs”
Selected For Her Novel Chanakya
Mahanta is selected for the award for her novel Chanakya which is written in the Assamese. She will be awarded a cash prize of one lakh rupees and a copper plate. This cash prize, she said, will be distributed among the families of those killed during the Anti-Citizenship Protests. “Young people have lost their lives for a cause and for their homeland and I have decided to pay my tribute to them by distributing the prize money among their families,” she said.
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