Ramchandra Bhattarai has been awarded for poetry, Ninu Chapagain for literary criticism, Manu Bajraki for narrative play, Shanta Das Manandhar for child and folk literature and Ramesh Ranjan Jha for literary service. [break]
Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai presented the awards and appreciation letters to the award-recipients amidst a function here today. The awards carry the purse of Rs. 100,000 and appreciation letter. The award is provided by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Speaking at the programme, Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said the great poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota was not only a popular man of letters in the national and international arena but was also a progressive writer introducing modern trend in Nepali literature.
He said Devkota can be taken as a romantic, nature loving and patriotic poet, who wrote against the social discrimination. He was the litterateur par excellence and was a prolific writer, who wrote on almost all genres of literature, he added.
Prime Minister Bhattarai further said it was beyond doubt that the litterateurs could contribute in the national development through their writing.
Prime Minister Bhattarai pledged to take necessary initiative to present the Mahakabi Devkota award to other litterateurs also who contribute to literature and language other than Nepali.
On the occasion, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Posta Bahadur Bogati, said that role of language and literature is important for the development of society.
He expressed the view that the literary creations of Devkota have immensely contributed to making Nepali literature prosperous.
Similarly, Officiating Secretary at the Ministry, Ranjan Krishna Aryal, shed light on the significance of the award.
Honoured litterateur Ninu Chapagain said the writers write with a purpose of depicting the society and life.
An award recommendation committee was constituted under the convenorship of Prof. Dr. Mahadev Awasthi. The other members of the committee were Nepal Academy senate member, Prof. Dr. Devi Prasad Gautam, Matrika Pokhrel, Bishwobhakta Dulal and Ramesh Prasad Bhattarai.
The award was established last year and Kali Prasad Rijal, Prof. Dr. Keshav Prasad Upadhyay, Madanmani Dixit, Dharmaraj Thapa and Rama Sharma were honoured with the award last year.
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