Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Blasts Sahitya Akademi, Launches New Literary Award

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday announced the launch of a new national literary award, while sharply criticising political interference in the Sahitya Akademi’s functioning.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Chennai International Book Fair 2026 at Kalaivanar Arangam, Stalin expressed concern over recent developments surrounding the Sahitya Akademi awards, noting that the announcement of the 2025 awards had reportedly been cancelled following alleged intervention by the Union Ministry of Culture.

“Political interference in literary and artistic awards is deeply troubling,” he said, emphasising the need to safeguard freedom of thought and creative independence. He added that numerous writers and literary bodies had called on the Tamil Nadu government to take constructive action in response to the situation, describing it as a “need of the hour.”

In response, Stalin unveiled the “Semmozhi National Literary Award,” an annual national-level accolade to honour outstanding literary works published in select Indian languages. In its inaugural phase, the award will recognise contributions in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Bengali, and Marathi, with each recipient receiving a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.

The Chief Minister said independent juries composed of eminent writers and award-winning authors will be formed for each language to ensure transparency, credibility, and literary merit in the selection process. “The Tamil Nadu government will proudly serve as a patron of Indian literature,” he stated.

Stalin further highlighted the state’s efforts to promote literary translation, both of Tamil classics into global languages and international works into Tamil, describing translation and copyright exchange as “cultural handshakes” between languages.

He pointed to the participation of publishers from over 100 countries at the book fair as evidence of Chennai’s rising status as a global knowledge and publishing hub, asserting that Tamil Nadu is not only an investment-friendly state but also a centre for intellectual and cultural exchange.

Reiterating the state’s commitment to fostering literary culture, Stalin said future editions of the Chennai International Book Fair would attract even greater global attention and that libraries would continue to be developed as “temples of knowledge.”

“Language is not a barrier but a bridge that connects the world,” he concluded.

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