Sahitya Akademi Fellowship to Ruskin Bond

• 18 May 2024

Source: TH

Why in News?

The eminent Indian author Ruskin Bond has been conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the highest literary honour bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi.

What are Ruskin Bond's Contributions to Literature?

• Born on 19^th May 1934, in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, Bond has had a prolific writing career spanning over 50 years. He has written in various genres including short stories, novels, non-fiction, romance, and children's books.
• Notable Works: Vagrants in the Valley, Once Upon a Monsoon Time, Angry River, Strangers in the Night, All Roads Lead to Ganga, Tales of Fosterganj, Leopard on the Mountain, and Too Much Trouble.
  • The 1978 Hindi film Junoon was based on his historical novel A Flight of Pigeons, which was set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
• Honours Received: Padma Shri (1999), Padma Bhushan (2019), Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar (2012), and Sahitya Akademi Award (1992).
  • Bond was named a recipient of Akademi's highest honour in 2021.

Sahitya Akademi Fellowship

• Sahitya Akademi confers four types of Fellowships to honour significant contributions to Indian literature and to encourage research on Indian literature and culture by international scholars.

Fellowship Type	Description
Sahitya Akademi Fellowship	The highest literary honour in India, awarded to "Immortals of Indian Literature." Only 21 Fellows can be elected at any given time.
Sahitya Akademi Honorary Fellowship	For non-Indian scholars who have significantly contributed to Indian literature. Limited to 10 Honorary Fellows at any time.
Premchand Fellowship	For creative writers from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries other than India researching Indian literature and culture. Established in 2005 during Munshi Premchand's 125th birth anniversary. Provides a stipend, travel, and accommodation for 1-3 months.
Ananda Coomaraswamy Fellowship	For Asian scholars (excluding Indians) pursuing literary projects. Instituted in 1996, revived in 2005. Provides similar support as the Premchand Fellowship.

Read more: Sahitya Akademi Awards 2023

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question:

Prelims:

Q. Consider the following statements: (2009)

1. The National School of Drama was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959.
2. The highest honour conferred by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer is by electing him its Fellow.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (c)