Javed Akhtar to receive SOA Sahitya Samman 2025 for lifelong contribution to literature and cinema

Bhubaneswar, Nov 1: Legendary poet, lyricist, scriptwriter, and social thinker Padma Bhushan Javed Akhtar will be conferred the SOA Sahitya Samman 2025 for his outstanding and lifelong contribution to Indian literature and cinema.

The award will be presented during the inaugural session of the 3rd SOA Literary Festival, to be held at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, on November 29 and 30. Instituted by SOA University, the award celebrates excellence, creativity, and intellectual depth in Indian literature and recognizes eminent writers, poets, and thinkers from across the country.

A five-time National Film Award and 15-time Filmfare Award winner, Akhtar has also been honoured with the Padma Shri (1999), Padma Bhushan (2007), and Sahitya Akademi Award (2014). His poetry collections Tarkash and Lava remain among the most acclaimed works of modern Hindi literature.

This year’s festival, themed “Culture, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence,” will feature over 100 eminent writers, poets, and artists across 30 sessions, organized by the SOA Centre for Preservation, Propagation, and Restoration of Ancient Culture and Heritage of India (PPRACHIN). The award includes a cash prize of ₹7 lakh, a citation, a silver idol of Goddess Saraswati, and a shawl.