The third Jaipal-Julius-Hanna Literary Award Ceremony and Multilingual Durang Performance will take place on November 30 in Ranchi.
This year’s National Adivasi Literary Awards will recognize Vinod Motiram Atram for his Gondi poetry collection, Hirwal Meta; Shikha Minz for her Sadri collection, Niradan; and Albinus Hembrom for his Santali work, Sirjonre Jivedok. The event will be held at TRI Hall, Ranchi, with Dr. Damayanti Beshra, a renowned Santali writer and Padma Shri awardee from Odisha, serving as the chief guest. She will present the awards to the recipients.
Following the awards ceremony, a multilingual Adivasi-indigenous Durang performance will feature poets and performers from Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. The performers will present their poetry and songs in 15 different languages. The event is organized by the Pyara Kerketta Foundation in partnership with the Tata Steel Foundation.
Vandana Tete, Chief Executive of the Pyara Kerketta Foundation and Award Convener, explained that the 2024 Jaipal-Julius-Hanna Literary Awards will honor three poetry collections: Hirwal Meta (Gondi) by Vinod Motiram Atram from Maharashtra, Niradan (Sadri) by Shikha Minz from Siliguri, West Bengal, and Sirjonre Jivedok (Santali) by Albinus Hembram from Pakur, Jharkhand.
The second part of the event will showcase the multilingual Adivasi-indigenous Durang performance. Performers will include Roshni Asur and Shradhanand Asur (Asur); Monika Singh (Bhumij); Vishnu Birhor (Birhor); Samuel Birjia (Birjia); Vinod Motiram Atram (Gondi); Pani Purti (Ho); Neeta Kusum Bilung (Kharia); Shanti Bharat (Khortha); Dr. Shanti Khalkho (Kurukh); Ratan Kumar Mahato ‘Satyarthi’ (Kurmali); Lalit Kishor Nag and Jadu Munda (Mundari); Vicky Minz (Nagpuri); Vishnu Charan Singh Munda (Panchpargania); Shikha Minz (Sadri); and Ledem Mardi and Albinus Hembram (Santali). Children from Asur Loor Akhra (Johbhipat and Lodam Pat) and Birjia Loor Akhra, Ranchi, will also perform songs. Additionally, two video songs focusing on Jaipal Singh Munda and the concept of Adi Dharma, created by Ashwini Kumar Pankaj, will be released during the event.
Ms. Tete also shared that the award was established to honor Jaipal Singh Munda, a prominent Adivasi leader, Julius Tigga, a writer-journalist from the Jharkhand movement, and revolutionary leader Hanna Bodra. Launched in 2022, the award aims to promote Adivasi literature and support Adivasi writers. Each year, three original manuscripts written in any Adivasi language or in Hindi, English, or regional languages are selected for publication. Awardees receive an advance royalty, 50 complimentary copies of their book, a certificate of honor, and other benefits.
