The Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, on Monday announced the names of the twenty-four distinguished litterateurs from across the country who have been selected for the prestigious “Sahitya Akademi Award 2025”, given annually.
This prestigious award will be presented to the acclaimed litterateur Dr. Nalini Haobam for her short story collection “KangLamdriba Eephut” in the Manipuri language.
It is noteworthy that the awarded book has previously received the “Yendrebam Surlata Purushkar Award 2020” from Sahitya Seva Samiti, Kakching.
The “Sahitya Akademi Award” is presented by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, to distinguished litterateurs from 24 different Indian languages in the fields of poetry, novels, short stories, criticism, essays, autobiography, and memoirs. For the selection of books in each language, Sahitya Akademi forms a jury of three members. The jury members for the Manipuri language this time are Prof. H. Nanikumar Sinha, Irungbam Basanta Singh, and Dr. Mongsatabam Tuleshwari Devi.
The Sahitya Akademi Award carries a cash prize of one lakh rupee, a copper plaque, and a shawl. The award ceremony will be held on March 31 in New Delhi, organized by the Sahitya Akademi.
The awarded Manipuri short story collection “KangLamdriba Eephut” is the fifth book that contributes to the literary granary of Manipur by Dr. Nalini Haobam, published in 2019.
Litterateur Dr. Nalini Haobam was born in 1956 in Kangabam Leikai, Imphal. Her father was late Haobam Ibungotombi, and her mother was late Haobam Ongbi Sakhitombi Devi. She is the mother of one son and one daughter with her husband, Dr. Khaidem Joychandra, who resides near IPS School, Thongju Part (ii).
The awardee Nalini has contributed to the fields of poetry, short stories, and drama, publishing 10 different books. Her poetry collection titled “Nungsi Thoiba,” published in 2025, is her latest work of literature, published in English, Bangla, and Meitei script.
Her efforts to promote Manipuri literature have been recognized, and various literary organizations of the region have bestowed numerous awards upon her in appreciation.
Among the literary awards received by the litterateur are the “Rajkumar Mahavir Singh Khorirol Mana” from Imakhol in 2022, and her poetry collection “He Lam Koiba,” published in 2020, received the “Dineshwori Sahitya Mana 2022” from The Cultural Forum Manipur, Imphal, and the “Dr. Jamini Devi Award 2022” from Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Imphal. Furthermore, her poetry collection “Nungsi Thoiba,” published in 2022, was honored with an award by Yairipok Thambalnu Sahitya Marup Cum Library in 2025.
Her two books, “Sana Manik” (1985) and “Mayai Chanba Yug ta Hindu Dharma gi Ethil” (2020), are currently being taught as textbooks and reference materials at Manipur University, Cultural University, DM University, and Assam University.
Litterateur Dr. Nalini Haobam has published essays, short stories, and poems in English and Manipuri, both within and outside Manipur. She has also presented numerous seminar papers along with reciting poems at literary events organized by the Sahitya Akademi in Manipur and beyond.
Her educational qualifications include MA, PhD (Manipuri), BEd, and Kaba Shastri. As a litterateur, she served as a teacher at Kha Manipur College, Kakching, and Thoubal College, Thoubal, before becoming an associate professor at DM College of Teachers Education, from where she retired.
She is a life member of various literary organizations, including Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Cultural Forum Manipur, Writers Forum, Leikol, Manipuri Sanskrit Parishad, Progressive Writers Forum, and Naharol Sahitya Samiti, actively contributing to the field of literature.
