Release of Jankavi Prakash’s ‘Anjaneya’ & posthumous honor for late Rakesh Kr Verma’s ‘Kaalchakra: Ek Prarabdha’
Confluence of literature, creativity and literary heritage at Book Fair Carnival
Prayagraj: ‘Shabd Samman 2026 – Writer and Litterateur Award Ceremony’, dedicated to literature, poetry and creative expression, was organised under the joint aegis of Bookwala and Arj Hai Publication under the Book Fair Carnival. Litterateurs who made notable contributions in various literary genres were honoured in the ceremony. The main attraction of the programme was the launch of Jankavi Prakash’s book ‘Anjaneya’ and the posthumous conferment of ‘Shabd Samman 2026’ to senior litterateur and journalist late Rakesh Kumar Verma ‘Nutan’.
Writers associated with literature, education, journalism, history, poetry, story and social concerns participated in the function. The honored writers included Dr. Sadhana Srivastava, Dr. Satish ‘Babba’, Shivam Tripathi, Priyanka Jain, Vijay Bhaskar Lale, Mohammad Zia Siddiqui, Arvindr Rajput, Shailendra Jai, Shankar Mugavalappa, Ramdayal Chauhan, Shivam Bhagwati, Dayashankar Prasad, Rohan Brown, Vivek Singh, Bharatendra Kumar Tripathi, Abhinandan Maurya, Archit Agarwal, Shivangi Goyal, Aanchal Singh, Aruna Kesarwani, Parul Srivastava ‘Vagmi’ and Sudhir Sinha along with other writers.
Public poet Prakash’s book ‘Anjaneya’ was released: The ceremony also featured the release of Jankavi Prakash’s book “Anjaneya.” Literature lovers present were given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with his work. The book launch lent special literary significance to the event and encouraged literary dialogue between writers and readers.
Late Rakesh Kumar Verma ‘Nutan’ to be awarded the ‘Shabd Samman 2026’ posthumously.
An emotional and noteworthy event of the ceremony was the posthumous presentation of the “Shabd Samman 2026” to the late senior literary figure and journalist Rakesh Kumar Verma “Nutan.” The honor was received by his son Priyanshu Srivastava and nephew Preshit Srivastava.
Rakesh Kumar Verma, who was active in journalism, literature, and social service for nearly three decades, was a renowned humorous and romantic poet of his time. After his death, his works were compiled and published as the book “Kaalchakra: Ek Prarabdha (1966–2020)” by Disha International Publishing House, New Delhi. This work is becoming an important medium for preserving his literary legacy and disseminating his writings to new generations.
Priyanshu Srivastava became emotional while accepting the award. He said that a creator associated with literature, art, and music lives on forever through their works. He reiterated his resolve to spread his father’s literary legacy to the masses.
Priyanshu Srivastava expressed his gratitude to Bookwala Director Manish Garg, Arj Hai coordinator Shlok Srivastava, Alisha, Raveena, Garima, Dr. Savina, Dr. Anupam Singh, and the entire organizing team for the honor. He said that this initiative to honor literary figures and creative talents is commendable.
Initiatives to encourage literature and creativity: Priyanshu Srivastava hosted the event. His impressive presentation seamlessly integrated the various phases of the ceremony, giving it a dignified feel. The objective of this joint initiative of Bookwala and Arj Hai Publication is to provide a respectable platform to the litterateurs, to recognize their creative achievements and to encourage the culture of reading and writing in the society. “Shabd Samman 2026” was a celebration of literature, ideas, memories, and sentiments. The event honored the contributions of contemporary writers and also revered the literary legacy of the late Rakesh Kumar Verma “Nutan.”
