Katha Prize Stories: 13

Ashitha was a Malayali writer, renowned for her short stories, poems and translations. She played a key role in popularising the haiku poem in Malayalam literature. She was a recipient of multiple honours, like the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story, Padmarajan Award, Lalithambika Anterjanam Sahitya Smarak Award and Edasseri Award.

Chezhiyan is a writer, professional photographer, cinematographer and director. He has several short stories and poetry to his credit. His short story "Tholaivil Theriyum Vanam" won the Kanaiazhi Vasagar Vattam Award in 2002.

Jhareswar Chattopadhyay's area of narration is specifically the southern-most part of West Bengal. He won the Bibhuti Bhushan Puraskar in 1973, the Tarasankar Smriti Puraskar in 1006 for the novel Swajan Bhumi, the Soapan Puraskar in 1997, the Shiladitya Puraskar in 2003 and the Panchajanya Puraskar in 2004.

K Srikanth Reddy has published several poems in Telugu. He has also published stories in Telugu literary magazines. He has a keen interest in existential philosophy, philosophy of language, music, cultural anthropology and translation.

Kashinath Singh, a recognized Hindi fiction writer, has several short story collections, novels and a play to his credit. These have been translated into several foreign and Indian languages. In 2001, he was honoured by the Government of Madhya Pradesh with the Sharad Joshi Samman. He retired as Professor and Head of the Hindi Department at Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He was awarded the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 2011 for Rehan Par Ragghu.

Kengba Yengkhom has several novels, short stories and poetry collections to his credit. He is deeply interested in social development activities such as village road construction and nurturing young talent through sports and education.

Khoiren Meetei is the pen-name of Khoisnam Dhiren Meetei. He is a regular columnist with Naharolgi Thoudang, a Manipuri language daily based in Imphal.

Madhuri Mohan Shanbag's favourite themes are women and fiction. She is the author of many books ranging from novels, collections of short stories and inspirational biographies to translation works in English. She has also been a regular columnist for a number of leading Marathi periodicals, contributing short stories, literary reviews and features on women issues and travel. Her articles on various subjects continue to appear in Marathi journals and newspaper supplements. She has received numerous awards for her work, including honours from the Maharasthra Sahitya Parishad.

Meena Kakodkar is a Konkani writer who has authored two collections of short stories and a full-length play for children. Her work has been well received and she is the recipient of a number of literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, 1991. She is actively involved in promoting performing arts and culture and as a social activist is a trustee of the Goa Animal Welfare Trust. She retired recently from the Goa State Government.

Neekakshi Singh, an Economics graduate from Banaras Hindu University, is a leading contemporary Hindi novelist.

He is an academician and an accomplished writer. His published works include fifteen novels and an equal number of short story collections, ten story collections for children and substantial feature writings based on real life experiences with the tribal societies of Orissa. His works are prescribed as textbooks at the post graduate level. He has received the Sahitya Akademi Prize, and the Konarka Prize for his short story collection, Chalanti  Thakura (1993), and the Orissa Sahitya Akademi Prize for his novel, Nara Kinnara (1970). Twice he has received the National Award for Children’s Literature from the Ministry of Education, Government of India (1962 and 1963). A senior administrator in the Education Department, Government of Orissa, in 1992 he retired as the registrar of Utkal University, Orissa.

Sibananda Kakoti has written several short story collections, plays and articles on  post- independent Nagaon district of Assam and Vaishnava saint Srimanta Sankardeva. He has won the National Award for Radio Playwright in 1992 for his "Duhsamay Samay." In 1995, he was awarded the Munin Borkatoki Award for a collection of short stories, Amrityu Amrit.