State PCS - Madhya Pradesh (MP PCS)

• 29 Aug 2025

Veer Singh Dev National Award

Why in News?

Noted Hindi novelist and journalist Dayanand Pandey has been honored with the Veer Singh Dev National Award by the Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi for his remarkable literary work, Vipashyana Mein Prem.

• The award ceremony took place in Bhopal, where he was presented with a citation, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Key Points

• About: Dayanand Pandey, a 67-year-old novelist and journalist from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, is a highly prolific author with over 75 published works across a wide range of genres, including novels, short stories, poetry, ghazals, memoirs, and cinema essays.
  • He began his journalism career in 1978, contributing to leading Hindi dailies such as Navbharat Times. His journalistic expertise is reflected in his fiction, which combines social critique, emotional depth, and piercing observation.
• Notable Works:
  • Vipashyana Mein Prem (Award-winning novel)
  • Lok Kavi Ab Gaate Nahin
  • Barf Mein Phansi Machhli
  • Sumi Ka Space
  • Manna Jaldi Aana
• Translations: His works have been translated into Bhojpuri, Punjabi, English, Urdu, and Marathi.
• Awards and Honors: Pandey's contributions to literature and journalism have been recognized with several prestigious awards:
  • Lohia Sahitya Samman
  • Sahitya Bhushan
  • Premchand Samman
  • Yashpal Samman
  • Amritlal Nagar Samman
  • Sahitya Gaurav Samman

Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi

• Foundation and Purpose: The Sahitya Akademi, established in 1954, aims to introduce the works and personalities of prominent writers from Madhya Pradesh and across the nation. Initially headquartered in Nagpur, it later moved to Bhopal after the formation of Madhya Pradesh.
• Celebrating Literary Figures: The Akademi commemorates the birth anniversaries of renowned national poets like Maithili Sharan Gupta, Makhanlal Chaturvedi, and others, while also organizing various programs to promote literature.
• Awards and Publications: The Akademi has a well-defined awards scheme, including prizes for literature in six regional dialects of Madhya Pradesh and other genres of Hindi literature.
• Youth Engagement and Outreach: The Akademi encourages youth involvement in literature by organizing workshops, poetry events, and publishing the works of young writers. Its magazine, Sakshatkar, features essays, interviews, and literary works across various genres.