MARGAO
The Global Konknni Forum has called for an urgent need for a transparent and independent inquiry into the Central Sahitya Akademi 2025 annual award selection process.
GKF Secretary Salvador Fernandes has further demanded full public disclosure of jury selection procedures and evaluation criteria, and immediate reforms to ensure strict enforcement of conflict-of-interest norms.
He further said the present Konkani Advisory Board of the Sahitya Akademi—with no representation for the Roman script—has once again come under the shadow of nepotism allegations in its award selection process.
Fernandes said grave concerns have been raised regarding the announcement of Central Sahitya Akademi 2025 Annual Award for a particular book published in both Devanagiri and Kannada scripts. “The circumstances surrounding the selection process of the above book point towards a deeply troubling pattern of conflict of interest, favouritism, and institutional breakdown. It is a matter of serious concern that a member of the Akademi’s Advisory Board has been selected as the award recipient. This represents a clear violation of basic ethical norms, where individuals in positions of influence are expected to recuse themselves from any process in which they may stand to benefit”, he said.
He added: “Equally alarming is the role of the publisher, who is part of the Akademi’s Executive Body and also serves as Convener of the Konkani Advisory Board. This represents a direct and unacceptable overlap between authority and personal gain, effectively compromising the integrity of the entire selection process”.
Fernandes said the credibility of the Sahitya Akademi is at stake, amid growing concerns that its approach disproportionately favours Devanagari while inadequately recognising the significance of other Konkani scripts. “The literary community and the public at large deserve assurance that national awards are conferred solely on merit and not manipulated by networks of influence”, he added.
