One of India’s top public sector banks, Bank of Baroda (Bank), today announced the winner of the inaugural “Bank of Baroda Rashtrabhasha Samman” 2023. The book Allah Miyan Ka Karkhana, written in Urdu by Mohsin Khan and translated into Hindi by Saeed Ahmad, took home the prize. Today’s awards ceremony in Delhi saw the announcement of the winning author and translator.

The runners-up prize for this year’s competition went to five novels: Abhipreta Kaala, Cheeni Kothi, Ghar Palano Chhele, Nadeesht, and Nemat Khana.

The winning Urdu novel Allah Miyan Ka Karkhana author Mohsin Khan and the winning Hindi novel Allah Miyan Ka Karkhana translator Saeed Ahmad both received the Bank of Baroda Rashtrabhasha Samman and cash awards of Rs. 21.00 lakh and Rs. 15.00 lakh, respectively. The five runner-up authors each received Rs. 3.00 lakh, and the corresponding Hindi translators received Rs. 2.00 lakh.

The winner was chosen from the six books that were nominated for the award by the five-member jury, which included renowned author and International Booker Prize winner Ms. Geetanjali Shree, Mr. Arun Kamal, an Indian poet; Mr. Pushpesh Pant, an academic and food critic; Ms. Anamika, a contemporary Indian poet and novelist; and Mr. Prabhat Ranjan, a Hindi fiction writer.

The “Bank of Baroda Rashtrabhasha Samman” was created to recognise and honour well-regarded books written in various Indian languages and their published Hindi translations. The Bank’s effort will contribute to the further enrichment of Indian languages and expand the audience for these exceptional works by making them easier to access.

Speaking about the award, Shri Sanjiv Chadha, Managing Director & CEO, Bank of Baroda said, “My heartiest congratulations to the winners of the first edition of the ‘Bank of Baroda Rashtrabhasha Samman’ 2023 – Mohsin Khan and Saeed Ahmad and to the other shortlisted nominees as well. Bank of Baroda’s heritage comes from Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad who is considered a reformer as well as a connoisseur of literature and art. Taking this legacy forward, Bank of Baroda has instituted “Bank of Baroda Rashtrabhasha Samman” to provide a national platform for talented writers from different parts of the country. India is a multilingual country and the different languages spoken add to its diversity and rich heritage. Through this initiative, the Bank aims to enrich the literary and cultural inheritance of the country.”

The Jaipur Literature Festival hosted the official announcement of the award’s start in January. During the months of March and April 2023, the Bank had started the process of inviting nominations for the Awards. The Bank revealed the long list of 12 novels for the first round in May. The long list was further whittled down to the six finalists, and the winner was selected from the shortlist of six books. The Wadali Brothers, Sufi singers and musicians from Guru Ki Wadali in the Amritsar District of Punjab, India, brought the awards night in Delhi to a close with a musical performance.