12th Rajendra Yadav Hans Awards Ceremony

NEW DELHI: The 12th “Rajendra Yadav Hans Awards-2024” recognised writers, poets and journalists across various categories on Aug 28 for their significant contributions to literature. The award ceremony was in honour of the renowned writer and editor, Rajendra Yadav, on his birth anniversary. Rajendra Yadav is celebrated as the re-founder of the literary magazine ‘Hans.’

The event commenced with a warm welcome address by Rachna Yadav, Managing Director of ‘Hans.’ During her speech, she fondly remembered her late friend, Ashutosh Dixit, and his contributions. This was followed by blessings from Ashutosh Dixit’s mother, Shobha Dixit. Sanjay Sahay, the editor of ‘Hans,’ then provided detailed information about the selection process for the awards. The ceremony was skillfully anchored by Mritunjay and Sudipti.

The winners of the “Rajendra Yadav Hans Awards-2024” across various categories are as follows:

Rajendra Yadav Hans Story Award was presented to Sameena Khan for her story “Rakiya Ki Amma,” published in the November 2023 issue of ‘Hans’. Sameena, who began her journalism career with ‘Swatantra Bharat’ newspaper and has also worked with ‘Hindustan’ and ‘Jansatta,’ is currently a freelance writer. The jury for this award included Shivmurti, Jaya Jadhwani, and Pallav.

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Two other stories were nominated for this award: “Khajuraho” by Pankaj Subir, published in the October 2023 issue, and “Gandh Talashte Darvesh Ka Bayan” by Faheem Ahmed, published in the January 2024 issue.

Shakeel Siddiqui was honoured with the Rajendra Yadav Hans Translated Story Award for the translation of the Palestinian story “Ghamzada Santaron Ki Sarzamin” by Ghassan Kanafani, published in the February 2024 issue of ‘Hans.’ Shakeel Siddiqui is a well-known writer and translator, with over twenty books to his credit. The jury for this award was Rakhshanda Jalil.

Dastak Young Story Award was jointly presented to Kinshuk Gupta and Ujjwal Deshwal. Kinshuk, a bilingual writer, was recognized for his story “Proofrock, Mere Dil Ke Veeran Mein Baso,” while Ujjwal, currently pursuing his M.A. from Delhi University, was awarded for his story “Cheezon Ke Bigadte Aakar.” The jury for this award was Vandana Raga.

Satendra Kumar received the Rajendra Yadav Hans Poetry Award for his poem “Farid, Tum Hi Kuchh Kaho Na!” published in the January 2024 issue of ‘Hans.’ Satendra is associated with the Progressive Writers Association and has published two poetry collections. The jury for this award was Savita Singh.

Vibhavari was honoured with the Rajendra Yadav Hans Essay Award for her essay “Cinema Mein Dalit Pratinidhitwa Ke Prashn,” published in the April 2024 issue of ‘Hans.’ Vibhavari, who hails from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, currently teaches at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida. The jury for this award was Ashutosh Kumar.

Rajendra Yadav Hans Review Award was given to Shubham Negi for his review of Ruth Vanita’s book “Pariyon Ke Beech,” published in the October 2023 issue of ‘Hans.’ Shubham, a poet and critic, is known for his keen insights into marginalized identities. The jury for this award was Sanjeev Kumar.

Rajendra Yadav Hans Short Story Award was presented to Martin John for his short story “Keep It Mom,” published in the June 2024 issue of ‘Hans.’ Martin John, who began his writing career with short stories, has published two collections of short stories and one poetry collection. The jury for this award was Pallav.

Richa Sinha was honoured with the Rajendra Yadav Hans Ghazal Award for her ghazal published in the November 2023 issue of ‘Hans.’ Richa has published three poetry collections and one ghazal collection. The jury for this award was Yash Malviya.

Vandana Pawar, a faculty member at Lalit Kala Mahavidyalaya, Jalgaon, was recognized with the Rajendra Yadav Hans Cover Design Award for her cover design for the July 2024 issue of ‘Hans.’ Vandana’s artwork has been featured in various magazines and exhibitions. The jury for this award was Vinod Bhardwaj.

Rajendra Yadav Hans Letter Award was received by Chaman Lal Sharma, a retired manager from Punjab National Bank for his letter “Giddh Drishti Ke Malik,” published in the December 2023 issue of ‘Hans.’ Sharma, currently residing in Varanasi, has published a poetry collection titled “Shabd Nahin Hain, Hum.” The jury for this award included Veena Uniyal and Premchand.

Rajendra Yadav Hans Vendor Award was presented to Lalit Jilani, who runs the Sarvodaya Book Stall in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, which has been a consistent seller of ‘Hans’ magazine since his father’s time. The jury for this award was Haris Mehmood.

The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Rachna Yadav. The event was attended by several prominent figures from the fields of literature, art, cinema, journalism, and other domains.