Author and poet Padma Sachdev's autobiography 'Chitt-Chete', written in Dogri language, has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman for 2015.
Published in 2007, the book masterfully links the personal trials and tribulations of the author with issues concerning society, nation and the world at large.
Instituted by the K K Birla Foundation in 1991, Saraswati Samman is given annually for an outstanding literary work in any Indian language mentioned in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution.
In a statement, the foundation said the idioms and phrases used in the over 600-page work carry the fragrance of 'Duggar Pradesh' - Jammu and Kashmir - and offer glimpses into the history, art and culture of the state.
"Her role is that of a binding force of two regions and people. The vitality of her language is a living dictionary of Dogri language," it said.
Born in Jammu in 1940, Sachdev hails from a family of Sanskrit scholars and took to writing in her mother tongue - Dogri- as a teenager.
A 'Padmashri' awardee, Sachdev is also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award (1971) and the Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Academy award (1988) among others.
The award, in its 25th year now, carries a cash purse of Rs 15 lakh, a citation and a plaque. The selection for the award was made by a 13-member panel of scholars and writers headed by former Chief Justice of India A S Anand.
