Farmers’ co-operative IFFCO has selected Ramdhari Singh Diwakar- a versatile Hindi novelist from Bihar for IFFCO’s ‘Shri Lal Shukla Memorial Sahitya Samman’ for the year 2018. Panel of Juries chose his name for Diwakar’s extensive contributions in the field of literature depicting rural life.
The selection committee headed by D P Tripathy and other members included Mridul Garg, Rajendra Kumar, Murli Manohar Prasad Singh, Dinesh Kumar Shukla. The Panel works on the mandate of choosing an author who writes on rural life touching the lives of farmers in a poignant manner, fulfilling IFFCO’s resolve of connecting to them (farmers) beyond urea.
Ramdhari Singh Diwakar was born in middle class farmers’ family in Narpatganj, a sleepy township in the Araria district of Bihar. The region boasts another legendary novelist Phanishwarnath Renu of Maila Annchal fame. Diwakar retired as a professor from Mithila University, Darbhanga.
Several writing of Diwakar has been published in different languages. The works include, “Alag Alag Aparichya”, “Beach mein toota hua”, “Sarhad ke paar”, “Jhuti Kahani ka Sach”, “Kali Subha ka Suraj” etc.
As usual the news was shared by IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi and was spread by PR Head Harshendra Singh Verdhan. Verdhan forwarded Awasthi’s tweet to Indian Cooperative as soon as Diwakar’s name was finalized by the eminent panel of Juries.
Happy with the selection of Diwakar for one of the top literary awards in the country IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi wrote on his twitter wall, “I am very glad to share with you all that versatile Hindi novelist Shri Ramdhari Singh Diwakar will be honored with IFFCO’s Shri Lal Shukhla Memorial Sahtiya Samman for the year 2018. IFFCO is always ahead in encouraging literature”.
The IFFCO Literary award was started in 2011 in the name of famous litterateur Sri Lal Shukla and is given every year for outstanding writing on the life in the countryside. Srilal Shukla was a versatile writer who portrayed the life of rural as well as semi-urban areas in its totality and made a scathing attack on the exploitative system prevailing in the countryside. His book Rag Darbari remains a sensation till date.
Vidya Sagar Nautial, Shekhar Joshi, Sanjeev, Mithileshwar, Ashtabhuja Shukla, Kamla Kant Tripathy and Ramdev Dhurandhar had been the recipients of the award in the past.
The award function is scheduled to take place in a function in Delhi which is to be slated on 31st January 2019. IFFCO’s Award offers by far the highest amount of Rs 11 lakh in the field of literature. 
