By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 7 May: Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and former Union Minister of Education, was conferred the “The Literature Laureate” award in New Delhi. The honour was jointly presented by the All India Sarvbhasha Sanskriti Samnvay Samiti and the Global Hindi Shala Society (VHSS, Germany) in recognition of his literary contributions, promotion of Hindi and Sanskrit, and his visionary initiative of establishing the “Author’s Village”.
At a ceremony held at the Press Club of India, New Delhi, the award was presented to Dr Nishank by the organisation’s President, Pandit Suresh Neerav, and Secretary, Christine Müller.
Pandit Neerav praised Dr Nishank as a rare politician who has consistently worked for the promotion of Indian languages and culture, particularly Hindi and Sanskrit. He noted that Dr Nishank’s literary works have been translated into numerous languages across the world, helping to spread Indian culture globally through the medium of literature. He further said that many organisations are striving to promote Indian languages, and Dr Nishank, in his dual role as a writer and statesman, has become a source of strength and inspiration for them.
One of Dr Nishank’s notable initiatives is the establishment of the Author’s Village nestled in the Shivalik hills of Dehradun. The village was formally inaugurated on 25 October 2024 by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd), Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and renowned lyricist and CBFC Chairman Prasoon Joshi.
Expressing gratitude upon receiving the honour, Dr Nishank stated that literary creation plays a crucial role in nation-building. He emphasised that the blend of language, culture, spirituality, and faith is essential for human development, with books serving as an effective medium for this integration. He envisioned the Author’s Village as a global centre for creativity, providing a platform for international writers, emerging authors, poets, researchers, and media professionals. He shared that the first phase of the village includes the establishment of a ‘Nalanda Library’ with an initial collection of 40,000 books, with the goal of expanding to a million volumes.
Christine Müller, Secretary of the organisation, highlighted that Dr Nishank has authored over 110 books, with around 25 research works based on his writings. His books are being studied not only in India but also in many countries across the globe and have been translated into several international languages.
The event was graced by notable dignitaries including Dr Shipra Shilpi (President, Antarrashtriya Srijani – The Global), Anil Joshi (President, Global Hindi Parivar), scientist Kapil Tripathi (Science & Technology), writer Madhu Mishra, Dr Ved Prakash, Dr Kavita Singh Prabha, Rishi Saxena and many others.
