Eminent Manipuri author Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi to receive Amar Ujala’s Akashdeep Award

Eminent Manipuri writer Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi will be conferred with Amar Ujala’s prestigious Akashdeep Award, the publication announced on January 15. Renowned Hindi author Mamta Kalia has also been selected for the same honour.
The two writers will each receive a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a citation, and a Ganga sculpture at the Shabd Samman ceremony for 2025, which is scheduled to be held shortly.
In a statement, Amar Ujala said the award holds special significance in the context of global milestones recognising the contributions of women. The statement noted that the United Nations declared 1975 as the International Women’s Year, with 2025 marking its Golden Jubilee, while 2026 has been dedicated by the UN to women’s contributions to agriculture. In this backdrop, honouring two women creators adds a distinctive dimension to the Akashdeep Award.
Arambam Ongbi Memchoubi has made notable contributions to Manipuri literature through her extensive writings, particularly on postcolonial thought and women’s identity. Her work has been widely acknowledged for its academic depth and social relevance. Mamta Kalia, who emerged as a prominent literary voice during the early phases of the feminist movement in India, has authored more than a dozen acclaimed works and is well known for her sensitive portrayal of middle-class life and the lived experiences of women.
Over the years, several distinguished authors writing in non-Hindi Indian languages have been honoured with the Akashdeep Award, including Girish Karnad, Bhalchandra Nemade, Shankha Ghosh, Pratibha Ray, M T Vasudevan Nair, and Sitanshu Yashaschandra. Among Hindi writers, past recipients include Namvar Singh, Gyanranjan, Vishwanath Tripathi, Shekhar Joshi, Vinod Kumar Shukla, and Govind Mishra.