HT Bureau
NAMSAI, May 17: The Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS) has announced the recipients of the Luminous Lummer Dai Literary Award (LLDLA) 2025, selecting two distinguished literary figures—Shri Ramchandra Chutia and Ashok Kumar Pandey—in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the literary and academic fields of Arunachal Pradesh.
The selection was made by a dedicated committee comprising Er H Rokom Bado (Chairman), Er Banta Natung, and Gumpi Nguso as members.
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Instituted in 2016 in memory of Lummer Dai, the doyen of Arunachal literature, the LLDLA honors individuals who have significantly enriched the literary landscape of the state. Since its inception, 11 prominent writers have been conferred with the prestigious award. Previous recipients include Kaling Borang (2016), Mamamg Dai (2017), Jogendra Nath (2018), Tagang Taki (2019), Chandra Kanta Borpatra Gohain and Ramendra Nath Koley (2020, jointly), Yumlam Tana (2021), Ajanta (2022), Jumsi Siram (2023), and Wangsam Zongsam and Thajam Aboh (2024, jointly).
Profiles of the 2025 Awardees
Ramchandra Chutia, born in Dhakuakhana, Assam in 1952, is a prolific author of 29 books, including 8 focused on the socio-anthropological aspects of Arunachal tribes. His literary repertoire spans poetry, novels, short stories, travelogues, articles, and memoirs in both Assamese and English. Mr. Chutia began his journey in Arunachal Pradesh in 1971 as a primary school teacher at Sartam Village in the then undivided Subansiri District. After four decades of dedicated service, he retired in 2010 as the Principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Doimukh.
Ashok Kumar Pandey, born in Uttar Pradesh in 1967, has been residing in Arunachal Pradesh since 1992. Currently serving as an Associate Professor in the Department of Commerce at Dera Natung Government College (DNGC), Itanagar, he has authored 11 books, including 5 acclaimed academic texts. Pandey is known for his versatility, writing across poetry, short stories, and drama, and is widely respected as both a literary and academic voice in the state.
Award Ceremony
The Luminous Lummer Dai Literary Award 2025 will be formally conferred on June 1, 2025, during a grand function at Lummer Dai Bhawan, Tezpur, Assam, commemorating the 85th Birth Anniversary of Lummer Dai.
The event is expected to witness the presence of eminent writers, scholars, cultural personalities, and literary enthusiasts from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and beyond.
