NEW DELHI, December 18 (Manipur Information Centre): Dr. Makhonmani Mongsaba’s travelogue in Manipuri- Chinglon Amadagi Amada was among eight books of poetry, four of essays, three of novels, two each of short stories and travelogues, one each of autobiography, memoirs and play which have won the Sahitya Akademi Award for the year 2013.
The Awards were recommended by distinguished Jury members representing 22 Indian languages and approved by the Executive Board of the Sahitya Akademi which met today under the Chairmanship of Dr. Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, president of the Sahitya Akademi.
Assamese and Gujarati language awards will be declared later on.
Famous poets honoured with the Award for the year 2013 are Subodh Sarkar (Bengali), Anil Boro (Bodo), Sitaram Sapolia (Dogri), Ambika Dutt (Rajasthani), Radhakant Thakur (Sanskrit), Arjun Charan Hembram (Santali), Namdev Tarachandani (Sindhi) and Javed Akhtar Urdu).
The well-known novelists Mridula Garg (Hindi), Manmohan (Punjabi) and R.N. Joe D’ Cruz (Tamil) are among those honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2013.
C.N. Ramachandran (Kannada), Tukaram Rama Shet (Konkani), Satish Kalasekar (Marathi), and Katyayani Vidmahe(Telugu) have got the Award for their books of essays. Temsula Ao (English) and Mohi-ud- Din Reshi (Kashmiri) have got the Awardfor their booksof short stories, Makhonmani Mongsaba (Manipuri) and Man Bahadur Pradhan (Nepali) have got the Award for their travelogues. M.N. Paloor (Malayalam) for his autobiography, Sureshwar Jha (Maithili) for his memoirs and Bijoy Misra (Odia) for his play have been honoured.
The books were selected on the basis of recommendations made by a Jury of three members in the concerned languages in accordance with the procedure laid down for the purpose.
According to the procedure, the Executive Board declared the Awards on the basis of unanimous selections made by the Jurors or selection made on the basis of majority vote. The Awards relate to books first published during the three years immediately preceding the year of Award i.e., between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2011. The Award in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper-plaque, a shawl and a cheque of ‘1,00,000/- will be presented to the authors of these books at a special function to be held on March 11, 2014 at New Delhi during the Festival of Letters organized by Sahitya Akademi.
The Jury of three members in Manipuri are Nongthombam Kunjamohan Singh,
Arambam Biren Singh and Prof. Thounaojam Ratankumar Singh are the Jury of three members in Manipuri language.
Makhonmani’s travelogue expresses his new experience relating to art and culture in foreign countries during the tour of Chorus Repertory Theatre’s drama shows led by world renowned theatre director Ratan Thiyam during 1987 -95. The author was one of the performing artistes of the Chorus Repertory Theatre during the tour.
He earlier wrote two books of short story collections namely Neengsinglubada and Nupee Keithel, a critical study on language namely Waheigi Saklon, a poetry- Thong Nambonbi, two essays namely Manipuri Sanskritida Pena and Mannadaba Maithongshing.
Makhonmani Mongsaba is also a renowned film maker of Manipur. His debut Manipuri film- Chatledo Eidi the Best Regional film in Manipuri in the 48th National Film Awards 2000. His second film Yenning Amadi Likla was selected in India Panorama and screened in 38the International Film Festival of India in 2007. His latest film Nangna Kappa Pakchade was screened at India International Centre, Max Muller Marg Lodi Garden on October 4, 2013 Friday at 6.30 pm. He was jury member of 51st.National Film Award 2003 and 57th.National Film Award 2009,organised by Directorate of Film Festivals, New Delhi.
Born on 1st March 1959, Makhonmani Mongsaba is the son of Modhusudon Mongsatabam and Amumacha Mongsatabam of Uripok Achom Leikai.