Kolkata: State Education Minister Bratya Basu is among the 20 names announced for the Sahitya Akademi Award 2021 on Thursday.
The award has been announced for the book ‘Mir Jafar and other plays’.
Talking to Free Press Journal, Bratya said that he has always ‘loved’ working in plays and also that he is ‘overwhelmed’ to get the award.
“I always wanted to inform people that drama, plays are part of literature. I am overwhelmed to get this recognition and also happier that people have given due respect to dramatists, drama and plays,” said Basu.
Basu, who is state education minister, has been for decades acting in plays and movies. He has penned several dramas and books and also enacted them.
It can be noted that Sahitya Akademi Award is given to people excelling in literature in almost 20 languages and this time Basu is receiving it for West Bengal.
Basu has written dramas like Ashalin, Aranyadeb, Mukhomukhi Basibar, Chatushkon, Shahar Yaar, Winkle Twinkle etc. which have won several laurels from not just Bengal but also from other countries.
It is pertinent to mention that this year the jury member of this award comprised Tapodhi Bhattacharya, literary Tridib Chatterjee and poet Ranjit Das.
As soon as the news broke than several dramatists had expressed their joy that Basu is getting this recognition.
“Bratya da is a very senior actor and educationist. It is a proud moment for all of us that dramatists and plays writers are getting this recognition. I have no words to articulate the joy,” said Sohini.
