In 2025 the Sahitya Akademi declared the Yuva Puraskar and Bal Sahitya Puraskar where the authors presented 23 young writers and 24 child writers respectively with the award due to their remarkable presence in the literary field. The awards were presented in 24 officially recognized Indian languages and this was in a way the responsibility of the Akademi to ensure that there is linguistic and literary diversity amongst Indian youth and children.

Context

In 2025, the Sahitya Akademi  declared the Yuva Puraskar or the Bal Sahitya Puraskar of 23 young authors and 24 children authors respectively, whose literary work is judged to be outstanding in 24 accepted Indian languages.

Key Points

Yuva Puraskar: Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar

• About: 

  • The award is an annual Indian award instituted in 2011 to honor young writers in India (35 years or under) whose literary work is an original composition written in any of the 24 Indian languages (including English) recognized by the Sahitya Akademi.

• Award Components:

  • Rs 50000 cash award,

  • Plate of copper engraved,

  • Citation.

• Eligibility Criteria:

  • The work should be original (creative or critical).

  • Published in the past 5 year period.

  • And no less than 49 pages.

  • Works that are not eligible are translations, abridgements, theses,, e-books, posthumous publications and works of NRIs, PIOs or dual citizens.

• Selection Process:

  • Open invitation to application

  • Initial adjudging by judges

  • Seattle area language jury (three) final choice

  • Executive Board endorsement

  • Publicizing of prize winners through a special event.

Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar

• About: 

  • Started in 2010, this award is presented consecutively every year at the best children literature meant to be read by the 9-16 year olds, in the 24 Indian languages that are part of the Akademi.

• Award Components:

  • Rs 50,000,

  • Engraved plaque,

  • Shawl,

  • Citation.

• Eligibility Criteria:

  • The publication has to be original and creative, not older than 5 years.

  • The award has to be considered in a language with at least 3 eligible books.

  • Posthumous titles are accepted as long as the author is dead and less than 5 years ago.

  • A translation, an anthology, an abridgement, a thesis or the work of a member of the Board or of a Fellow or the winner of Bhasha Samman cannot be entered.

What is Sahitya Akademi?

• About: 

  • Founded in 1952 and officially opened in 1954, Sahitya Akademi is the National Academy of Letters in India to encourage and promote Indian literature in numerous languages.

  • It is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 as a society in the year 1956.

  • Sahitya Akademi Awards: It is a very prestigious literary award presented to exceptional books in 22 languages included in the 8 th Schedule of the Constitution as also in English and Rajasthani. 

  • It is the second-leading literary award bestowed by the Government of India after the Jnanpith Award.

• Functions:

  • Promotes inter-lingual literary discussion, and reciprocal translations, and dissemination of literary texts.

  • Prints journals, monographs, anthologies and literature histories.

• Awards and Honours:

  • 24 Literary Awards (one in each of the acknowledged languages).

  • 24 awards of Translation for works translated to and toward Indian languages.

  • Bhasha Samman contributions to languages not recognized and classical/ mediaeval literature.

  • Anand Coomaraswamy and Premchand Fellowships on eminent writers.

Conclusion

The Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar and the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar are major awards bestowing the efforts made by the young and the children's literature in India which provides new faces in the literary world. The Sahitya Akademi has been highly instrumental in making Indian literature grow and develop in terms of awards given, publications issued and international interactions.

On June 21, 2025, the 11 th International Day of Yoga (IDY) will be celebrated under the theme of Yoga for One Earth, One Health. The theme of this year has been about the relationship between human health and the planet. The involvement has increased tremendously at 9 crore in the year 2018 and 24.53 crore in 2024 showing the world and global sphere that yoga has influence.

Context

• International Day of Yoga (IDY) is an international celebration that aims at practicing yoga as a unity of mind, body and nature. 

• It is supported by the United Nations, thus making it an effective leverage to wellness and culture diplomacy across the globe. 

• The 2025 theme focuses on the idea of yoga as the means of preserving personal well-being and contributing to the sustainability of the environment.

Key Points

About the 11th International Day of Yoga

• Event: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was at the helm of the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 

• Purpose: it is an observation to celebrate yoga as a wholesome method of mental, physical, and emotional health annually.

• Observed Since: 2014, the UNGA declared it in 2014, and the first international celebrations took place on June 21, 2015.

• Theme (2025): “Yoga for One Earth, One Health” health of individuals connected to the health of the entire planet in accordance with the vision of India under G20.

Objectives:

• To create well-being: Yoga should be promoted as physical, mental and emotional well-being.

• Awareness: Making the world aware of the advantages of yoga, in terms of health and environmental sustainability.

• Sustainable Living: Promote and lobby the incorporation of yoga in everyday life in sustainable living practices.

• Cultural Diplomacy: Enhance India to become the world leader in yoga and wellness.

Key Features:

• International: International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 is endorsed by 175 member states in the UN and is expanding to 24.53 crore in the year 2024.

• Mass Participation: With the guidance of the Ministry of AYUSH, the world-wide level was supported by state governments, embassies and UN bodies.

• Inclusive Message: Enhances cohesiveness, and integration with nature, and mind-body.

• Cultural Diplomacy: Cultural leadership of India is highlighted due to which it is better known to be the cradle of yoga.

• Sustainability Alignment: The involvement of yoga in health and sustainable development and climate awareness is highlighted.

The Importance of the Day:

• Wellness Practice with low cost: Yoga is a cheap and easy way to enhance well-being.

• Soft Power: Aids in improving the image of India and its leadership in health and wellness as far as the globe is concerned.

• Environmental Connection: Strengthens the interlinking of individual health and environmental stewardship.

UN Declaration:

• Initiative of India: The initiative of International Day of Yoga (IDY) was presented by India in the 69 th-session of the UN General Assembly in 2014.

• UN Declaration: Thereafter, to make it an International Day of yoga (IDY), the UN declared 21 st June as such on 11 th December 2014.

• First Celebration: The first event of International day of Yoga was held on 21st June 2015 based on the slogan of Yoga as an instrument of harmony and peace.

Why is 21 st June important?

• Summer Solstice: The International Yoga Day will be observed on 21 st June, a day that is the Summer Solstice and the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere.

• At the Tropic of cancer, the sun rays directly hit it and the day is greatest with a move to feel like moving toward spiritual awakening in the yogic practices.

Global Recognition:

• UNESCO: in 2016 UNESCO declared Yoga as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

• World Health Organization (WHO): The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged Yoga as an instrument of mental and physical health and specifically in countering non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and thus incorporated Yoga into its Global Action Plan (2018-30).

• An Initiative by India: In 2015, the ministry of Youth Affairs and sports in India categorized Yoga as a Priority sports discipline.

What is Yoga?

• Definition: The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit term "Yuj", which means "to unite", symbolizing the mind-body harmony.

• Historical Foundation: Yoga had its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization which the seals (such as Pashupati seal) and fossils prove. The Vedas also mention it and it was formerly grouped in Yogasutra of Patanjali in the 2 nd century BC.

• Indian philosophy Yoga belongs to the category of the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy, which also includes Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Mimamsa, and Vedanta.

Modern Relevance:

• Holistic Health: Yoga expounds toward holistic health, which builds flexibility in the body, strengths the mind and releases stress.

• Psycho-Social Rehabilitation of Covid-19: This was very much used in the rehabilitation of Covid-19.

• International Fame: There are different kinds of Yoga e.g Hatha, Ashtanga and Iyengar Yoga that have spread to the international platform.

Efforts of India on the side of Yoga:

• M-Yoga App: A mobile application that encourages the use of Yoga to the international people.

• Vocational Education Courses: There are courses of yoga that fall under vocational education where people are taught on how to do yoga.

• Fit India Movement: The Fit India Movement is one of the most essential body movements that entail yoga and are being used to spread the culture of health and fitness in all parts of India.

Conclusion

This 11th International Day of Yoga has a theme of highlighting the interrelation of personal well-being and planetary health, namely, it is dedicated to Yoga for One Earth, One Health. This international trend does not only contribute to the role of yoga as an individual health-thriving tool, but it also shares goals with sustainable development, therefore yoga is a crucial practice of our contemporary world. The increased engagement emphasizes the popularity and significance of yoga in the international wellbeing.