Veteran lyricist, poet, and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has been chosen for the SOA Sahitya Samman 2025, an honour recognising his profound influence on Indian cinema and literature. The award will be conferred on November 29 during the inaugural session of the third SOA Literary Festival at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, Bhubaneswar.

Instituted by SOA University, the SOA Sahitya Samman celebrates exceptional contributions to the world of letters and ideas. The honour carries a cash prize of ₹7 lakh, along with a citation, a silver idol of Goddess Saraswati, and a shawl.

Speaking about the recognition, university officials described Akhtar as a “celebrated scriptwriter, lyricist, poet, and thinker whose words have shaped the emotional and cultural fabric of contemporary India.” They added that his body of work has brought “unparalleled depth and timeless resonance” to Hindi cinema.

This year’s literary festival, organised by the SOA Centre for Preservation, Propagation, and Restoration of Ancient Culture and Heritage of India (PPRACHIN), will revolve around the theme ‘Culture, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence’. The two-day event, taking place on November 29 and 30, will feature around 100 prominent personalities—including writers, poets, translators, publishers, artists, and media professionals—from across the country.

According to Prof. Gayatribala Panda, festival director and head of PPRACHIN, the event will include 30 sessions exploring the intersections of tradition, creativity, and modern technology.

Akhtar, a Padma Bhushan awardee, has long been regarded as one of India’s foremost literary and cinematic voices, seamlessly blending artistry and intellect through decades of work that continues to inspire generations.