In a proud moment for Indian literature, the renowned Bengali author Dr. Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay has been selected for the prestigious ‘Saraswati Samman 2025’.
He is receiving this honor for his novel ‘Har Parvati Katha’, which was published in 2020. Notably, this award comes to a Bengali writer after a long gap of 22 years.
The Saraswati Samman was started in 1991 by the K.K. Birla Foundation. It is considered one of the highest literary awards in India. The award includes:₹15 Lakhs in cash, A citation (certificate), and a plaque (trophy). The winner was chosen by a high-level selection committee led by former Supreme Court Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri. The process was very detailed, involving 22 language committees and five regional committees. Out of a shortlist of five books (in Hindi, Telugu, Bodo, Marathi, and Bengali), Dr. Mukhopadhyay’s novel was chosen as the best.
While characters like Ram and Krishna are common in Bengali literature, the domestic life of Shiva and Parvati has rarely been the focus of modern novels. This book fills that gap. It explores the relationship between “Vaibhav” (luxury/wealth) represented by Parvati’s home in the Himalayas and “Vairagya” (detachment/simplicity) represented by Shiva’s life in Kailash.
The author describes the mountains and villages between the Himalayas and Kailash as the bridge that connects these two different worlds.
Born in Kolkata in 1956, Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay spent most of his childhood in Bankura. His inspiration for this book came from a childhood memory of a painting on his house wall, showing Parvati giving food to Shiva. It took him seven years of hard work to complete this novel.
With this award, Dr. Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay joins the elite list of 34 previous winners. His achievement is being celebrated by the entire literary community as a great moment for Bengali literature.Author Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay to Receive Prestigious ‘Saraswati Samman’; Ends 22-Year Wait for Bengal
