News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Samman to be awarded in eight categories during Sahitya Aaj Tak
Mumbai: Aaj Tak has announced its commitment to honour Indian writers in eight categories to promote Indian language and literature. These awards will be given during the upcoming Sahitya Aaj Tak event this year.
The Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Samman will be a lifetime achievement award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh.
The Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Samman will be given to any distinguished writer in any Indian language in recognition of their lifelong literary contribution and service to the world of literature.
In addition, the Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Sarvashreshtha Rachna Samman will also be given in 4 categories, each carrying a cash prize of Rs One lakh.
The Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Sarvashreshtha Rachna Samman will be presented for a book published in the last three years. Their categories will be:
● Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Sarvashreshtha Rachna Samman (Author), offering a cash prize of Rs One lakh
● Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Sarvashreshtha Rachna Samman (Authoress), Cash prize Rs One lakh
● Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Bhartiya Bhasha Samman, Cash prize Rs One lakh
● In addition to these, the Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Lokpriya Lekhak Samman will be presented in the popular category, carrying a cash prize of Rs One lakh.
This award will be given for any literary masterpiece published in any Indian language over the last three years.
India Today Group is the first media group in the country to give an award in this category.
Three awards have also been announced under the Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Samman to promote young talents. These awards will be conferred in these categories under the name of Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Ubharti Pratibha Samman:
● Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Yuva Lekhak Samman, with a cash prize of Rs 50,000
● Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Yuva Lekhika Samman, carrying a cash prize of Rs 50,000
● Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Bhashai Pratibha Samman, offering a cash prize of Rs 50,000
A six-member jury has been constituted under the chairmanship of Aaj Tak’s news director Supriya Prasad to select the winners of the Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Samman.
This award was announced last year during the biggest literary extravaganza ‘Sahitya Aaj Tak’.
According to India Today Group vice chairperson Kalli Purie said, “This is another initiative of India Today Group to highlight our commitment to promoting Indian languages following the successful organisation of the literary extravaganza ‘Sahitya Aaj Tak’. Through the ‘Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Samman’, we aim to honour established writers and encourage budding writers to ensure that Indian literature continues to scale new heights.”
These awards will be presented to this year’s winners during the literary extravaganza ‘Sahitya Aaj Tak’ to be held at the National Stadium in New Delhi from 24 to 26 November.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
