Writer Sudha M. Rai to receive Assam’s prestigious Nilim Kumar National Award 2025

GANGTOK, : Sikkimese writer Sudha M. Rai has been selected for Assam’s prestigious Nilim Kumar National Award 2025.

Currently serving as an officer in the Language section of the Education department, Government of Sikkim, Rai will be conferred with the award by Kabyadhwani Assam.

Instituted by Kabyadhwani Assam, the award is presented annually to personalities who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of literature, culture, and poetry, a press release informs.

Sudha M. Rai has long been contributing to Nepali literature from Sikkim through poetry, short stories, and translation. She has also served as a member of the Nepali Language Committee of the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. To date, she has published eight works, including four poetry collections, one short story collection, and three translated volumes.

Her literary journey has been marked by several honors, including the Srashta Puraskar (Sikkim), Bhaichand Pradhan Memorial Award (Kalebung, West Bengal), Kamala Anshu Memorial Award (Sikkim), Dr. Shobhakanti Thegim (Lepcha) Memorial Award (Sikkim), and the Krishna Bhushan Bal Memorial Srijana Samman (Biratnagar, Nepal), among others.

Her writings have been translated into English, Hindi, and German, expanding the reach of Nepali literature to wider audiences. She is also an active participant in national and international poetry gatherings, where she has consistently represented Sikkim and the Nepali literary tradition on the global stage.

According to Lakhi Phillbari, secretary of Kabyadhwani Assam, the award acknowledges Rai’s significant role in enriching literature and fostering cultural consciousness. The honor will be formally presented at a grand ceremony scheduled for November, the release mentions.