Sahityapost has announced the longlist for the ‘Sahityapost Uttam Gairakhyan Puraskar 2081,’ bringing encouraging news for emerging writers who have entered the Nepali literary scene with debut works in the non-fiction genre.
The award is dedicated to recognizing debut non-fiction works—ranging from essays and travelogues to memoirs—that were published in 2081. A total of 13 eligible submissions were received by Sahityapost, out of which seven have been selected for the longlist. The initial evaluation was conducted based on scores provided by a panel of journalists, editors, writers, and well-wishers affiliated with Sahityapost. The longlist was finalized by a team of primary judges.
The seven longlisted debut non-fiction works are:
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Amar Chitrakar by Sabitri Singh Chitrakar
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Chhalbato: Kailashdekhi Gangasamma (travelogue) by Ramesh Bhushal
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Chhotu by Sanjiv Paudel
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Dhaulagiri Chhayamuni (memoir) by Chhabilal Pathak
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Beritka Reetaharu (personal essays) by Rita Nyaupane Pahari
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Market of Sweetheart (creative non-fiction) by Tara Bhattarai
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Shreewar (spiritual reflections) by Rijal Swami
This is a preliminary longlist. A shortlist will be published in the second phase, based on further scoring and evaluation by editors responsible for the non-fiction category and independent judges. From the shortlist, three exceptional titles will be selected for the final round. One of them will ultimately receive the ‘Sahityapost Uttam Gairakhyan Puraskar 2081’, which carries a cash prize of NPR 50,000 along with a certificate of honor.
Ashwini Koirala, coordinator of the award committee and Editor-in-Chief of Sahityapost, emphasized the scarcity of quality non-fiction in the contemporary Nepali literary scene, especially from debut authors. “Compared to poetry and fiction, very few non-fiction books are published here,” he said. “Even fewer come from new writers. But we firmly believe that without a strong non-fiction tradition, literature as a whole cannot thrive. Through this award, we hope to encourage more emerging writers to explore and strengthen the non-fiction genre.”
Koirala added that the seven selected works reveal a promising future for non-fiction in Nepali literature.
The Sahityapost Uttam Puraskar was first launched in 2077 as the ‘Sahityapost Uttam Kriti Puraskar’, with the inaugural prize going to Nepal Vidya by Kedar Bashistha. In 2078, the award was expanded into two categories—Uttam Kriti Puraskar and Uttam Kavya Puraskar—which were awarded to Bhawani Khatiwada’s Ghaam Bhanda Pahile and Shanti Priyabandana’s Jil Khairaheko Ekkaiisaun Shatabdi, respectively.
In 2079, the award further grew to include three categories: poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. The winners that year were:
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Muffler (ghazal collection) by Pradeep Rodan (Poetry)
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Yashodhara by Haribol Kafle (Fiction)
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Mutusanga Sahayatra by Dr. Avanibhushan Upadhyay (Non-fiction)
Last year, the prizes went to:
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Ashwatthama Ko Nidhardbat Bagmati Bagchha by Devabrat (Poetry)
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Raipali Bhanyjang by Sagar Khadka (Fiction)
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Buddhakalīn Samaj by Umakant Paudyal (Non-fiction)
Following this tradition, this year too, one outstanding debut work from each of the three genres—poetry, fiction, and non-fiction—will receive NPR 50,000 and a certificate of recognition.
Krishna Dhungel, editor at Sahityapost, shared that the longlisted non-fiction works will now be reviewed by the subject editors and independent evaluators. Their scores will determine the shortlist. “We are committed to recognizing debut works that offer both depth and literary merit,” he said. “This strong list gives us full confidence that the final winner will be a deserving one.”
The ‘Sahityapost Uttam Gairakhyan Puraskar’ is sponsored by poet and literary critic Vinay Kumar Bhandari, whose poetry collection Samatnalai Raja Narendradevko Haad Pairaheko Chhaina has been well-received, and whose extensive literary critiques published on Sahityapost have garnered wide readership.
The longlist for the ‘Sahityapost Uttam Akhyan Puraskar’ (Fiction) will be announced on May 5 (Monday).
