Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday announced that the State government will institute annual awards titled ‘Classical Literary Award’ for the best literary works in Indian languages, positioning it as a counter to the Centre’s Sahitya Akademi awards and countering the perception that the DMK is limited to Tamil chauvinism.The award will carry a cash prize of ₹5 lakh each, with the Tamil Nadu government as the patron. In the first phase, the awards will be given for literary works in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia and Marathi, Mr Stalin said while addressing the valedictory function of the Chennai International Book Fair (CIBF).
To ensure quality and transparency, he said separate panels comprising eminent writers and past award winners would be constituted for each language.
Criticising the Narendra Modi-led Union government, Mr Stalin alleged political interference in the Sahitya Akademi awards for 2025, calling it a “dangerous trend”. He said the reported cancellation of the awards ceremony at the last minute following intervention by the Union Culture Ministry was disheartening and had prompted demands from writers and cultural bodies for the State government to step in.
Highlighting the role of book fairs, he said the CIBF, with participation from 102 countries, serves as a bridge between publishers and authors and promotes the exchange of knowledge. He also praised Booker Prize-winning Kannada author Banu Mushtaq, noting that translation had helped her work reach a global audience and draw attention to the lives of South Indian women.
Stressing that literature has no boundaries, Mr Stalin said language should act as a bridge and not a wall. He added that classical Tamil works such as Thirukkural, Silappathikaram, and the writings of Bharathi and Bharathidasan should resonate in all languages, while scientific works should be made available in simple and engaging Tamil for children.