Chandigarh, May 22, 2026:Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria attended the Annual Award Ceremony as the Chief Guest organised by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi and honoured distinguished writers, poets and literary personalities from different fields of literature.

During the ceremony, the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi honoured literary personalities across multiple categories. A total of 8 senior writers were conferred with the “Award of Recognition” for the years 2023 and 2024 in Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit and English, while 10 authors received the “Best Book of the Year Award 2024” across various literary genres and languages. Additionally, 6 writers were honoured under the Manuscripts 2025 category and 1 writer received the Yuva Puraskar. The Akademi also introduced the Bal Puraskar for the first time, under which 15 children were honoured in Hindi, Punjabi and English across three age categories for their literary achievements.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Kataria described literature as not merely a mirror of society, but also a guiding light that shows the right direction to humanity. He said literature and poetry have inspired individuals and societies for generations and will continue to inspire future generations as well, which reflects the true power of literature. He further described literature as the true jewel of society that guides, enlightens and inspires humanity through every age. Emphasising that the true strength of a nation lies in its moral values, cultural consciousness, literary richness and intellectual depth, the Administrator urged writers and young authors to keep Indian culture, social harmony and moral values at the centre of their literary creations.

The Administrator appreciated the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi for its significant contribution over the past four decades towards the promotion of literature, languages and culture. He noted that the Akademi has been actively encouraging literary research, translations, publications, seminars and youth participation while promoting Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Urdu and English literature.

Highlighting the importance of responsible expression, Shri Kataria said that the pen should unite society rather than divide it. He stressed that literature should encourage constructive and healthy intellectual discourse while preserving sensitivity towards social values and public sentiments.

The Administrator also appealed to the younger generation to move beyond superficial knowledge on social media and develop the habit of reading books and literary works of great authors. He said that in the digital age, literary institutions have a greater responsibility to revive and strengthen the reading culture among youth.

Also present on the occasion were Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary Tourism-cum-Cultural Affairs, and Shri Manmohan Singh, Chairman, Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, along with awardees, distinguished guests, senior and young writers, academicians, students and literature enthusiasts representing diverse linguistic backgrounds.