National Vanmali Katha Samman Samaroh, an initiative of Bhopal- based Rabindranath Tagore University, Vanmali Srijan Peeth (Under Vishwarang) and AISECT Publication from April 15-17 is facilitating several well-known authors and poets and includes Professor Dhananjay Verma, who gets the first ‘Vanmali Kathasheersha Samman’. Senior story writer Geetanjali Shree will be honoured with ‘Vanmali Rashtriya Katha Samman’. Both the litterateurs will be honoured with an honorarium of one lakh rupees each.
Among other awards ‘Vanmali Katha Madhya Pradesh Samman’ will be presented to senior story writer Shri Hari Bhatnagar (Bhopal), ‘Vanmali Yuva Katha Samman’ to young story writer Shri Chandan Pandey, (Bangalore), ‘Vanmali Katha Criticism Award’ to young critic Shri Vaibhav Singh (Delhi), ‘Vanmali Literary Magazine Samman’ to the famous monthly magazine ‘Kathadesh’ published from Delhi.
It is worth mentioning that from this time in Vanmali Katha Samman Samaroh, 2 more categories will be introduced along with Vanmali Kathasheersha Samman. The first ‘Vanmali Pravasi Bharatiya Katha Samman’ will be presented to senior story writer Ms. Divya Mathur (London) and the first ‘Vanmali Vigyan Katha Samman’ will be conferred upon senior science writer Mr. Devendra Mewari (Delhi).
Authors being recognized with Vanmali Katha Madhya Pradesh Samman, Vanmali Yuva Katha Samman, Vanmali Katha Criticism Award, Vanmali Literary Magazine Award, Vanmali Pravasi Bharatiya Katha Samman, Vanmali Science Fiction Award will receive a shawl, citation letter and 51,000 rupees each along with the award.
Mr. Mukesh Verma, President of Vanmali Srijan Peeth, Bhopal, said that the ‘Vanmali Katha Samman’ is a story in search of democratic and human values in the contemporary literature scenario. It is a biennial award initiated with the aim of re-establishing literature and giving it its due respect.
Launch of Vanmali and other magazines, Katha Bhopal, Vigyan Kathakosh by AISECT are part of releases during the 3-day event. The story of late Jagannath Prasad Choubey ‘Vanmali’ i.e. ‘Aadmi aur Kutta’ was staged theatrically by the artists of Shadow Group, Bhopal under the direction of Mr. Manoj Nair. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s play ‘Visarjan’ will be staged under the direction of Manoj Nair by the artists of Tagore National School of Drama from 7:00 pm on 16th April.
On April 17, the story of Mr. Santosh Choubey ‘Satah Par Tairati Udasi’ will be staged under the direction of well-known theatrical director Shri Devendra Raj Ankur, former director of National School of Drama, New Delhi.
Musical presentation of Kabir’s Doha in Purva Rang by Shri Rajiv Singh and his companions, performance by Shri Janaki Band, Jabalpur are being organized in conjunction with Tagore World Center for Art and Culture and Tagore National School of Drama, Bhopal. Ten selected painters of Tagore National Painting Competition organized under Vishwa Rang are also being honoured with a citation and an amount of fifty-five thousand rupees.
