Uniting the stories, Inspiring the future
How It Started
The Sanya Chandra Literature Trust (SCLT) is committed to nurturing a vibrant literary ecosystem that transcends linguistic, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries. Rooted in the visionary spirit of Sanya Chandra, the Trust seeks to:
Recognize and celebrate literary excellence through inclusive and prestigious awards in fiction, non-fiction, and translation.
Empower emerging writers, researchers, and translators by offering scholarships, research grants, and mentorship opportunities—particularly those working across English and Indian languages such as Maithili.
Promote inter-cultural and interdisciplinary literary research, integrating literature with feminism, Dalit studies, disability studies, and folk traditions, to deepen public understanding and diversify academic discourse.
Foster meaningful dialogue between languages, communities, and generations through residencies, seminars, translation initiatives, and cultural festivals.
With these aims, SCLT aspires to bridge the local and the global, the creative and the critical—carrying forward a dream of literature as both a transformative art and a democratic force.
The S.Chandra Literary Prize is the leading literary awards in English and Maithili Literature and they are announced each year in the month of July
The prize of awarded to the best sustained works in fiction and non-fiction categories initially written in English and Maithili languages and published in India.
This prize transforms literary journey of authors and scholars
Winner receives cash price INR 500,000 as well as INR 25,000 awarded to 5 shortlisted authors
S.Chandra Literature Award
The Sanya Chandra Literature Trust was born from both deep sorrow and abiding hope.
In 2025, the world lost Sanya Chandra, a brilliant young literary scholar, at the tender age of 22. A topper of the B.A. (Hons) English, SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University, and an Oceanvale Scholar and Alumni of Ashoka University, Sanya’s life was shaped by her love for literature, justice, and the power of ideas. Her academic work explored everything from Maithili storytelling traditions to contemporary feminist, Dalit, and disability studies. She believed passionately in bridging cultures through language—especially by bringing Maithili literature into conversation with English and global thought.
In the wake of this unimaginable loss, her family, friends, teachers, and fellow scholars came together to turn grief into purpose. What emerged was a shared commitment: to carry forward the unfulfilled dreams of a young scholar who had so much more to give.
Thus, in her name and spirit, the Sanya Chandra Literature Trust was established. It aims to support young scholars, celebrate regional languages, fund translation work, and create spaces where literature meets society.
What began as a tribute has grown into a mission. A mission to light the paths that Sanya once dreamed of walking.
Our mission
Interdisciplinary research
At the heart of the Sanya Chandra Literature Trust (SCLT) is a commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research—an approach Sanya herself deeply valued. In a world where knowledge cannot be confined to silos, SCLT fosters inquiry that bridges literature, social sciences, philosophy, language studies, and cultural theory.
🌐 Why Interdisciplinary Research?
Sanya believed that literature is not only a mirror but a map—a tool that reveals, questions, and reshapes the world. Her academic work explored how literary texts intersect with issues of:
Feminism and Gender Studies
Dalit Literature and Caste Critique
Disability Narratives
Linguistic Identity and Translation
Postcolonial and Indigenous Knowledge Systems
This belief forms the foundation of SCLT’s research initiatives.
🎓 What We Do
Research Fellowships: Supporting students and scholars working across disciplines with a focus on Maithili, English, and regional literatures.
Seminars & Conferences: Hosting dialogues that bring together writers, translators, sociologists, linguists, and activists.
Publication Support: Funding critical essays, anthologies, and monographs that engage in cross-cutting literary and social analysis.
Mentorship Programs: Connecting young researchers with experienced scholars for guided, interdisciplinary work.
🌿 Our Focus Areas
Intersections of Language and Identity
Literature and Social Justice
Translation Studies: Theory and Practice
Regional Literatures in Global Contexts
Literature and Environmental Humanities
Disability, Body, and Narrative
📬 Get Involved
Are you a researcher, writer, or student interested in interdisciplinary work?
👉 [Apply for Fellowships]
👉 [Join Our Research Network]
“Knowledge never traverse alone, All disciplines are interwoven”- Sanya Chandra
"Language is the house of being" – Martin Heidegger
“Stories have the power to create the world anew.”
“Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.” – Fernando Pessoa
“The silence depressed me. It wasn’t the silence of silence. It was my own silence.”
— The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
“Gender is not something that one is, it is something one does, an act… a ‘doing’ rather than a ‘being.’”— Gender Trouble (1990) (Judith Butler)
“To be called a girl—honestly—is one of the most dangerous things in the world.” (Judith Butler)
“I write for the voiceless, the downtrodden. Literature is a weapon.” (Mahasweta Devi)
“Explore yourself, there is a long journey to travel within”. Sanya Chandra
"For most of history, Anonymous was a woman." - Virginia Woolf
"I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else's whim or to someone else's ignorance." - bell hooks
"Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view." - Simone de Beauvoir
"There’s really no such thing as the ‘voiceless.’ There are only the deliberately silenced, or the preferably unheard." - Arundhati Roy
"Feminism is not about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength."- Kamla Bhasin
Nominations for the S. Chandra Awards
The Sanya Chandra Literature Trust invites nominations for the S. Chandra Awards, which recognize exceptional literary work and translation efforts that align with the Trust’s mission of linguistic diversity, cultural sensitivity, and academic excellence.
🔹 Who Can Nominate
Publishers, literary journals, academic institutions, and cultural organizations.
Self-nominations are also accepted, especially from emerging writers and scholars.
Translators or authors may submit collaborative nominations for the Translation Grant.
🔹 Eligible Works
Books or manuscripts in fiction and non-fiction published or completed in the previous two years (print or digital).
Translations from Maithili to English or English to Maithili completed or in advanced stages.
Works must demonstrate literary merit, originality, and relevance to themes of cultural dialogue, social justice, or linguistic exploration.
🔹 Submission Requirements
All nominations must include:
Completed nomination form (available on the website)
A copy (digital or physical) of the nominated work
A 300–500 word citation describing the significance of the work
Author/translator biography and contact details
Letter of consent from the nominee (for third-party nominations)
🔹 Selection Process
Submissions are reviewed by a distinguished jury panel of writers, scholars, and critics.
The jury evaluates entries based on literary quality, thematic depth, and impact.
Shortlists will be announced in advance of the Annual Award Ceremony.
📅 Important Dates
Nominations Open: January 15, 2026
Deadline for Submissions: April 30, 2026
Shortlist Announcement: June 10, 2026
Award Ceremony: July 24, 2026, New Delhi
📬 Submit Your Nomination
👉 [Download Nomination Form]
📧 Email submissions to: awards@sclt.org
📮 Or send hard copies to:
SCLT Secretariat, New Delhi Office, [24, Rajpur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi 110054
Get in Touch with Us
Contact the Sanya Chandra Literature Trust for inquiries about our programs, fellowships, and literary initiatives. We would love to hear from you!
Contact
24, Rajpur Road, ciVIL Lines, delhi 1100054
PH; 9990577745
Support
info@sanyachandra