NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has asked the publication division to adapt itself through technological tools, e-commerce, business models, online publications etc.

According to the Minister, crowd sourcing has become a principal tool to involve people in bringing about change and innovation and enhancing outreach through people’s involvement.

The Minister has invited suggestions from youngsters regarding the future role of publication division in the changed scenario where it has undergone a drastic change both in content and technology.

Presenting the Bhartendu Harishchandra Awards for promotion of Hindi writers for the years 2011 and 2012, Javadekar said the growing literacy in the country was a catalyst to promote relevant contemporary writings.

The role of publication division was much more beyond mere publishing. As a Government institution the future road map lay in identifying benchmarks so as to ensure people had access to good quality publications. Literature remained the principal catalyst to promote creativity across different sections of society. This was a time tested exercise and it provided the people a sense of satisfaction across all age groups.

The Minister also called upon the publication division to explore the possibility of starting a special series/collection of prominent books/works on eminent personalities. 

He also said while the prize money of Bhartendu Harishchandra Awards would be enhanced, a special category of awards to promote original writings focusing on all round development of adolescent girls would be instituted from next time. The objective of the new awards was to encourage the spirit of women empowerment from the adolescent stage of growth for girls.

The Minister also announced that the award function would be held every year on 9 September being the birth anniversary of the eminent writer. These awards were presented on the birth anniversary of renowned Hindi writer Bharatendu Harishchandra for the first time this year.

One of the key initiatives of the Ministry was to promote books and manuscripts original writing in Hindi, the Bharatendu Harishchandra Awards have been presented by the publication division annually since 1983. Bharatendu Harishchandra paved the renaissance for Hindi language and literature.

The awards were initially given in Journalism and Mass Communication. The other three categories, viz., National Integration, Women’s Issues and Children’s Literature were added in 1992. Original writing in Hindi by Indian authors is the eligibility criteria for the award. 

For the year 2011, the first prize in the Journalism and Mass Communication category was awarded to Vijay Dutt Shridhar for his manuscript ‘Pehla Sampadakiya’. Harish Chandra Barnwal’s book ‘Television ki Bhasha’ has been chosen for the second prize in this category. The third prize went to Santosh Kumar Nirmal for his book ‘Filmein aur Prachar: Tab se ab tak’. 

In the Women’s Issues category, the award was conferred on Gitashri for her manuscript ‘Aurat ki Boli’ while for National Integration went to Dr. Navratan Kapoor for the book “Tyoharon Tatha Melon ki Vichitratain, Jansanchar Maadhyam aur Rashtriya Ekta”. 

The first prize in Children’s Literature category for the same year was given to Bano Sartaj for her book ‘Pakya aur Parichham’ and the second prize to Rajiv Saxena for ‘Professor Khurana ka Clone’. 

For 2012, the first prize in Journalism and Mass Communication category was awarded to Vijaya Lakshmi Sinha’s ‘Maine Awaaz ko Dekha’, while the second and third prize was conferred on Madhav Hada for his book titled ‘Seedhiyaan Chadhta Media’ and Suresh Kumar’s ‘Online Media’ won the third prize. 

In Women’s Issues category in 2012, Urmila Kumari’s book ‘Jaar Jaar Taar Taar’ was selected for the first prize while Dr. Sanjula Thanvi’s book ‘Manavaadhikar, Panchayati Raj Se Sashakt Naari’ was selected for the second prize. 

In Children’s Literature category Dr. Mohammed Arshad Khan’s book ‘Mickey Mouse’ won the first Prize and the book ‘Phoolon se Pyar’ by Pavitra Agrawal received the second prize.