Hyderabad: The Sahitya Akademi on Saturday selected Ramesh Kumar Nayak, 26, from Nizamabad and K. Vaishali from Hyderabad for the prestigious Yuva Puraskar. They are among the 23 writers who will receive the award. Nayak is the first winner of the award from the Banjara community. P. Chandrashekar Azad won the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his work in Telugu.
While Ramesh will be awarded for his short stories book ‘Dhaavlo’, Vaishali won the award for her memoir ‘Homeless: Growing up Lesbian and Dyslexic in India’.
The Yuva Puraskar awardees receive a casket containing an engraved copper plaque and a cheque of Rs 50,000 at a ceremony to be held later.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Nayak, told Deccan Chronicle, “I am very happy. This is like a dream come true. What elates me is that I am the first Banjara writer who has won this award.”
