Bhubaneswar: The Sahitya Akademi today announced Bal Sahitya Puraskar for the year 2023.

As many as 22 writers will be felicitated with the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for their contribution to children’s literature in various Indian languages.

Odia author Jugal Kishore Sarangi will receive the award for his short story compilation ‘Jejenka Gapa Ganthili’.

Sarangi will be provided with a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation by the Sahitya Akademi, sources said.

It is worth mentioning here that Odia author Narendra Prasad Das had been felicitated with Bal Sahitya Puraskar for the year 2022.

Similarly, Daigaraj Brahma from Odisha received the award in 2021. Odia authors Ramachandra Nayak (2020), Birendra Kumar Samantray (2019) and Birendra Mohanty (2018) had earlier been awarded Bal Sahitya Puraskar by the Sahitya Akademi, sources added.