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.