Success : Procedure for giving away ‘Kavi Kalidas Sanskrut Sadhana Award’ initiated

Outcome of news published in ‘Dainik Sanatan Prabhat’ and complaint by HJS

Mumbai : In the last few days, Dainik Sanatan Prabhat (DSP) consistently published news and an article about the indifferent policies of ‘Kalidas Sanskrut Vishwavidyapeeth (KSV)’, the Government, and Administration regarding conferring ‘Kavi Kalidas Sanskrut Sadhana (KKSS)’ Award. Later, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) complained to the State Higher and Technical Education Department on this issue. As a result, the Higher Education Department and KSV have now, initiated the procedure for conferring this award.

On page 1 of the DSP Marathi issue dated 2nd September 2022, the news about conferring the Mahakavi Kalidas Award in Maharashtra was published. HJS lodged a written complaint with the Higher Education Department in February 2023. The news published in the DSP and the follow-up by HJS have led to the Government’s Higher Education Department writing to its Director at Pune, referring to the HJS memorandum, on this issue. After this letter, an advertisement was published on behalf of the Government in June 2023 about this award. Presently, the applications have been received in this context and their verification is yet to be done.

Media Coverage – Maharashtra State Mahakavi Kalidas Sanskrit Sadhana Award Ceremony pic.twitter.com/JUPDrztnKk

— Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University NAAC A+ (@vishwavidalaya) August 28, 2021

Selection Committee to hold a meeting in this regard next week

A representative of DSP contacted office bearers of the award committee of KSV at Nagpur when it was informed that the selection committee’s meeting would be held in the next week. It was also informed that a copy of the HJS memorandum was also received by KSV and further action would be taken after the selection committee’s meeting.

DSP representative contacted Dy Director Nitin Bachhav of the Higher Education Department when he was told that the delay in conferring the award was due to the pending appointment of the Chancellor for KSV.

The issues raised…

• There has been no change in the amount given under this award since 2013, and it is the only award conferred for Sanskrut, whereas about 13 awards are conferred for Urdu, spending more than Rs 66 lakhs.
• KSV has not received the award money of Rs 18 lakh due in the last six years from the Government.
• The Government order mentions conferring the award on ‘Sanskrut Day’, but the award has never been given on this day in all these years. Moreover, awards due for 2–3 years have been given together. In 2021, six awards, pending for six years from 2015, were given at one time.