Each year the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar awards writers under 35 for outstanding works in 24 Indian languages. And the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar is awarded to children’s literature authors in 22 Indian languages. The winners in both categories receive a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and an engraved copper plaque. This year’s Yuva Puraskar for English was awarded to K Vaishali for her memoir Homeless: Growing Up Lesbian and Dyslexic in India (Yoda Press), and the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for English, to Nandini Sengupta for her book The Blue Horse and Other Amazing Animals from Indian History (Hachette India).

The winners of the 2024 Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar

  • Assamese: Nayanjyoti Sarma, Jaal Kota Jui (Short stories)

  • Bengali: Sutapa Chakraborty, Deraje Halud Ful, Gatajanma (Poetry)

  • Bodo: Rani Baro, Saikhlum (Short stories)

  • Dogri: Heena Choudhary, Ek Rang Tere Range Chaa (Poetry)

  • Gujarati: Rinku Rathod, …To Tame Raaji? (Ghazal)

  • Hindi: Gaurav Pandey, Smritiyon Ke Beech Ghiri Hai Prithvi (Poetry)

  • Kannada: Shruthi BR, Zero Balance (Poetry)

  • Kashmiri: Mohd Ashraf Ziya, Aene Baedas (Articles)

  • Konkani: Adwait Salgaonkar, Pedanyacha Samaaram (Essays)

  • Maithili: Rinki Jha Rishika, Nadi Ghati Sabhyata (Poetry)

  • Malayalam: Shyamkrishnan R, Meeshakkallan (Short stories)

  • Manipuri: Waikhom Chingkheinganba, Ashiba Turel (Poetry)

  • Marathi: Devidas Saudagar, Usvan (Novel)

  • Nepali: Suraj Chapagain, Canvas Ko Xitiz (Poetry)

  • Odia: Sanjay Kumar Panda, Hu Baieaa (Short stories)

  • Punjabi: Randhir, Khat Jo Likhno Reh Gaye (Poetry)

  • Rajasthani: Sonali Suthar, Sudh Sodhun Jag Angane (Poetry)

  • Santhali: Anjan Karmakar, Jangbaha (Poetry)

  • Sindhi: Geeta Pradeep Rupani, Paper Parya (Articles)

  • Tamil: Lokesh Raghuraman, Vishnu Vandhar (Short stories)

  • Telugu: Ramesh Karthik Nayak, Dhaavlo (Short stories)

  • Urdu: Javed Amber Misbahi, Stepney (Short stories)

The Sanskrit language winner will be announced on a later date.

K Vaishali was awarded the Yuva Puraskar for her memoir 'Homeless'.

The winners of the 2024 Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar

  • Assamese: Ranju Hazarika, Biponna Bismoi Khel (Novel)

  • Bengali: Dipanwita Roy, Mahidadur Antidote (Novel)

  • Bodo: Virgin Jekova Machahary, Buhuma Boynibw (Poetry)

  • Dogri: Bishan Singh ‘Dardi’, Kukdu Kadoon (Poetry)

  • Gujarati: Gira Pinakin Bhatt, Hasati Haveli (Short stories)

  • Hindi: Devender Kumar, 51 Baal Kahaniyan (Short stories)

  • Kannada: Krishnamurthy Biligere, Choomantrayyana Kathegalu (Short stories)

  • Kashmiri: Muzaffar Hussain Dilbar, Sone Gobrew (Poetry)

  • Konkani: Harsha Sadguru Shetye, Ek Ashil’lem Bayul (Novel)

  • Maithili: Narayanjee, Anar (Short stories)

  • Malayalam: Unni Ammayambalam, Algorithangalude Nadu (Novel)

  • Manipuri: Kshetrimayum Subadani, Malem Atiya (Novel)

  • Marathi: Bharat Sasane, Samsher Aani Bhootbangala (Novel)

  • Nepali: Basanta Thapa, Desh Ra Fuchhey (Poetry)

  • Odia: Manas Ranjan Samal, Gapa Kalika (Short stories)

  • Punjabi: Kuldeep Singh Deep, Mai Jalianwala Bagh Bolda Haan (Play)

  • Rajasthani: Prahlad Singh ‘Jhorda’, Mhari Dhani (Poetry)

  • Sanskrit: Harshdev Madhav, Bubhukshitah Kakah (Short stories)

  • Santhali: Dugai Tudu, Miru Arang (Poetry)

  • Sindhi: Lal Hotchandani ‘Lachaar’, Dostan Ji Dosti (Short stories)

  • Tamil: Yuma Vasuki, Thanviyin Piranthanal (Short stories)

  • Telugu: P Chandrashekhar Azad, Maya Lokam (Novel)

  • Urdu: Shamsul Islam Farooqi, Barf Ka Des Antarctica (Short stories)

Nandini Sengupta was awarded the 2024 Bal Sahitya Puraskar for 'The Blue Horse'