Renowned Hindi author Mamta Kalia was Wednesday presented the 27th Vyas Samman – an annual literary award given by the KK Birla Foundation – for her novel Dukkham Sukkham.
Goa governor Mridula Sinha presented the award plaque and ~3.5 lakh prize money to Kalia at an event in New Delhi. Sinha said Kalia’s novel captures the essence of Indian culture and holds the power to remind people of their roots, regardless of their native places. At the award ceremony, Kalia – who was born in 1940 – spoke about her late husband, popular author Ravindra Kalia, adding that she finished the book on his repeated insistence. She said an author doesn’t write for criticism, acclaim or miracle, but for one’s own satisfaction. “Whatever be my age, I am brimming with the intent to write,” Kalia said. The head of the selection committee for the award, professor Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, said he was curious about the title of the book when he first heard about it. The sorrow and happiness of the characters drives the story of the book, he said.
Selection committee member Dr Suresh Rituparna said the prize money of the award will be increased to ~4 lakh from next year. The Vyas Samman, which was first presented to poet Ram Vilas Sharma in 1991, is given for Hindi literary work published in the past 10 years. Kalia pursued an MA degree in English from the Delhi University. She was later appointed a lecturer at the SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai. She then headed a degree college in Allahabad before retiring in 2001. Kalia, whose books mostly revolve around the middle-class lifestyle, is known for her literary works in Hindi and English including ‘Beghar’, ‘Janch Abhi Jaari Hai’, ‘Nirmohi’, and ‘Bolne Wali Aurat’.
She has earlier been awarded the ‘Yashpal Katha Samman’ from UP Hindi Sansthan and ‘Sahitya Bhushan Samman’ and ‘Ram Manohar Lohia Samman’.