Saturday brought a good news for the city. Kusumagraj Pratishthan announced the coveted ‘Janasthan Puraskar’ to renowned Marathi author Asha Bage, who is from Nagpur. Earlier, in 2006, Bage had got the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel ‘Bhoomi’. She is the second litterateur from the city after highly acclaimed playwright Mahesh Elkunchwar to get ‘Janasthan Puraskar’. ‘Janasthan Puraskar, instituted by Nashik-based Kusumagraj Pratishthan, will be presented to Bage ceremoniously on March 10 in a programme to be held at 6 pm at Maakavi Kalidas Kala Mandir in Nashik, on the occasion of death anniversary of Kusumagraj. Justice Narendra Chapalgaonkar (Retd), President of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan to be held at Wardha, will present the award to Bage. The panel of juries that finalised name of Bage for the prestigious award comprised Sandhya Nare-Pawar, Dr Anupama Ujgare, Prafulla Shiledar, Dr Sadanand Borse, Avinash Sapre. The biennial award consists of Rs one lakh cash, a memento, and a citation.

 

The coveted award is given to litterateurs for their exceptional contribution to Marathi literature. Kusumagraj Pratishthan is named after ‘Kusumagraj, the pen-name of Jnanpith-awardee late V V Shirwadkar, who was a resident of Nashik. Makarand Hingne, Chief Secretary of Kusumagraj Pratishthan; Hemant Takle, Trustee; and Adv Vilas Lonari announced the award to Asha Bage. Born on July 28, 1939 at Nagpur, Asha Bage started her writing career with ‘Satyakatha’. In 1980, her story ‘Rukmini’ was published. She wrote regularly for Diwali special issues of ‘Mouj’. By the year 2018, Bage had to her credit 13 anthologies of short stories, seven novels, and two other books. Her collection of stories ‘Marva’ won critical acclaim. Her novel ‘Bhoomi’ got her the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award. Another novel ‘Tridal’ also won several honours. Her other widely popular and acclaimed books include ‘Anant’, ‘Organ’, ‘Rutu Vegale’, ‘Chandan’, ‘Darpan’, ‘Nisatlele’, ‘Pooja’, ‘Shravansari’, ‘Mandav’, ‘Mudra’, ‘Setu’, ‘Pratidwandwi’, ‘Anuwad’, ‘Chakravarti’, ‘Waata aani Mukkam’. She was President of the first women litterateurs meet of Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh. The previous recipients of ‘Janasthan Puraskar’ include eminent litterateurs Vijay Tendulkar, V D Karandikar, Indira Sant, Madhu Mangesh Karnik, Vyankatesh Madgulkar, S N Pendse, Narayan Surve, Baburao Bagul, N D Mahanor, Bhalchandra Nemade, Arun Sadhu, Dr Vijaya Rajadhyaksha, Gangadhar Gadgil, Vasant Abaji Dahake.