Sahitya Akademi: India's National Academy of Letters, created by a Government resolution and working in 24 Indian languages

Background

In 1944, the Government of India accepted in principle a proposal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal that a National Cultural trust should be set up, consisting of three Academies including an Academy of letters. The Government of India decided to establish a National Academy of letters to be called Sahitya Akademi by its resolution No F-6-4/51G2(A) dated December 1952, and the Akademi was formally inaugurated by the Government of India on 12 March 1954. Though set up by the Government, the Akademi functions as an autonomous organisation, and it was registered as a society on 7 January 1956, under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The Akademi describes itself as India's National Academy of Letters and as the only institution that undertakes literary activities in 24 Indian languages, including English. It gives 24 awards annually to literary works in the languages it has recognized and an equal number of awards to literary translations from and into the languages of India, each decided after a year long process of scrutiny, discussion and selection. It also gives special awards called Bhasha Samman for significant contribution to the languages not formally recognized by the Akademi, as also for contribution to classical and medieval literature, and it elects eminent writers as Fellows and Honorary Fellows. The Akademi has launched Centres for Translation in Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Delhi, and a project office for the promotion of Tribal and Oral literature in the North Eastern Hill University Campus, Shillong.