A girl from Downtown has been selected for this year’s prestigious Sahitya Academy Youth award.
Deeba Nazir from Eidgah here was presented the award at Shillong
Deeba has done her post graduation in Kashmiri, Urdu literature and education. She got the award for her book “Zareen Zakham” which is a collection of Kashmiri short stories. The book was released in 2017.
She has previously translated three books into Urdu— Gul Bakawali , Dastaan Kuliyat Abdul Ahad Azad and Kuliyat Ropa Bhawani. She has received many awards which includes ‘President of India award’ in scouting and girl guiding.
The “Yuwa Sahitya Puraskar” was conferred upon young writers in 21 Indian regional languages . Zareen Zakhm (Sparkling Wounds) is a collection of 15 short stories (fiction). Among these, Tchaandaww (The Search) revolves round Dheeda and her Doudh- e-Buoy (foster brother) who is a Kashmiri pandit whom Dheeba has not seen since they were born in Srinagar’s Lal Ded maternity hospital way back in 1988.