Waseem Barelvi Award for Young Poet announced; more honours for eminent authors across Indian languages planned
Aligarh Literature Festival to Honour Living Literary Legends with Annual Awards
TNN News/Aligarh, July 14: The Aligarh Literature Festival (ALF) has announced a new initiative to institute annual literary awards in the names of India’s living literary legends, with the objective of encouraging young writers while recognising the contributions of distinguished authors and poets during their lifetime.
The first honour under the initiative, the “Waseem Barelvi Award for Young Poet,” has been instituted in the name of noted Urdu poet Prof. Waseem Barelvi. The annual award will carry a prize of ₹51,000 along with a citation and will recognise an emerging poet for originality and literary excellence.
The awards will be presented during the three-day Aligarh Literature Festival scheduled to be held in December 2026 in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.
Managing Trustee Prof Jasim Mohammad said additional awards named after eminent living literary personalities representing different Indian languages would be announced after obtaining their consent.
Announcing the initiative, Prof. Jasim Mohammad, Managing Trustee of the Aligarh Literature Festival, said the effort seeks to acknowledge literary icons while they continue to contribute to India’s cultural and intellectual life.
“We have often honoured great writers only after their passing. Our endeavour is to express society’s gratitude during their lifetime and create opportunities for young writers to draw inspiration from those who continue to shape India’s literary landscape,” he said.
ALF Trustee Prof Divya Tanwar, the initiative aims to strengthen India’s literary culture by linking emerging talent with the legacy of contemporary literary stalwarts. The awards are expected to encourage originality, creativity and a deeper engagement with India’s diverse linguistic traditions.
Trustee of ALF Jawaid Rahmani said, the Aligarh Literature festival will bring together writers, poets, scholars, publishers, artists and readers from across the country for literary discussions, book launches, poetry recitals, workshops, cultural performances and award ceremonies, positioning Aligarh as a significant national platform for literature and cultural dialogue.
