SRINAGAR: Sarhad has announced the Lal Ded National Awards for five senior women literary figures in recognition of their contributions to the cultural and literary landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.
The award ceremony will be held on Tuesday at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar.
The awards are presented in memory of Lal Ded, the Kashmiri Shaivite mystic poet and cultural icon known for spreading a message of spirituality and love beyond caste and religion.
She is regarded as one of the leading scholars and proponents of Kashmiri Shaivism. Her teachings are known for blending Shaivism and Sufism. She composed four-line Kashmiri verses known as “Vaakh,” which are widely considered the foundation of Kashmiri literature.
The 2019 award will be presented to Kashmiri poet Bimla Raina; the 2020 award to Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poet Naseem Shafaie; and the 2021 award to writer and official language expert Sakina Akhtar.
The 2025 award will be conferred on Syed Darakshan Andrabi, while the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to writer, educationist and translator Neerja Mattu.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will present the awards. Chairman of DPS Srinagar Vijay Dhar will attend as chief guest, while Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Vijaya Rahatkar will preside over the event.
The organisers said the awards recognise contributions made by the recipients in literature, education, research, and the preservation of Kashmir’s cultural traditions.
Sarhad, a Pune-based socio-cultural and educational organization, is celebrated for its humanitarian work in border regions. It confers various prestigious recognitions, most notably the Lal Ded National Awards, the Dr Bhupen Hazarika National Award, and the Sant Namdev National Award, to honor individuals driving peace, education, and cultural harmony across India.
