The Saraswati Puraskar for the year 2024 has been conferred upon Mahamahopadhyaya Swami Bhadreshdasji for his unparalleled Sanskrit treatise, the Swaminarayan-Siddhanta-Sudha.

The Saraswati Puraskar (Saraswati Award), established by the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1991, is one of India’s most prestigious literary honors. It is presented annually for an outstanding literary work published within the previous ten years by an Indian citizen in one of the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

This esteemed award has been given to a work in the Sanskrit language after 22 years. Published in 2022, the Swaminarayan-Siddhanta-Sudha presents the Akshar-Purushottam Darshan, revealed by Parabrahma Bhagwan Swaminarayan, as a distinct philosophical darshan. The work has been praised for its classical scholarship, profundity of meaning, simplicity, and unique literary contribution, which further strengthens India’s eternal Vedic tradition.

The award presentation ceremony was graced by the presence of the Honorable Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra, Shri Acharya Devvratji. Also present were Justice Shri A.K. Sikriji, the former Supreme Court Judge and the Chairman of the Saraswati Award Selection Committee, and Dr. Suresh Rituparnaji, a trustee of the K.K. Birla Foundation.

The ceremony commenced with the lighting of a sacred lamp. Thereafter, Dr. Suresh Rituparnaji underscored the prestige of the nation’s eminent literary honor and elaborated on its rigorous and impartial selection process. He noted that, from among the finest works in 22 Indian languages, the awardee is chosen through a meticulous three-phase evaluation process. After careful deliberation by over 90 distinguished scholars and after consultation with a former Supreme Court judge, the Swaminarayan-Siddhanta-Sudha was selected as the year’s foremost literary masterpiece.

Expressing his sentiments, former Supreme Court Justice A.K. Sikri observed,

It is a matter of great pride that, for the first time in 34 years, a saint has been honored with this distinguished literary award. In bestowing this recognition upon Swamiji, the award itself has been ennobled.

Following these remarks, the Honorable Governor of Gujarat presented the award to Swami Bhadreshdasji.

With characteristic humility, Swami Bhadreshdas addressed the gathering, stating,

This honor is the result of the love, tireless efforts, and selfless dedication of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Mahant Swami Maharaj. For me, it is not merely an honor, but a profound responsibility.

Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami, Head of the world-renowned BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, expressed his delight, saying,

I have personally witnessed Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami’s  inspiring academic journey of sacrifice and dedication. He has achieved this success through the inspiration and blessings of Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj and Param Pujya Mahant Swami Maharaj.

On this occasion, Pujya Anandswarupdas Swami reflected,

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a seer of exalted foresight. Through his guidance and blessings, a once-restless child has become the great Sanskrit scholar known as Bhadreshdas Swami.

Presiding as Chief Guest and Chair of the ceremony, His Excellency Governor Acharya Devvrat remarked,

India’s ancient Vedic tradition, upheld by generations of ascetic sages, has been carried to the wider world through this monumental work by Swami Bhadreshdas. The profound contemplations of the Vedas, Upanishads, the Gita, and the Ramayan reside within this text, which forms a foundation for all human life and holds the promise of global welfare.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is honored by the conferment of this prestigious award to Mahamahopadhyaya Swami Bhadreshdasji, who has dedicated this historic honor to Parabrahma Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, and Mahant Swami Maharaj.