Shillong: Dr. Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih claimed the Professor Tabu Ram Taid Literary Award 2026 this Saturday. The ceremony took place at Cotton University in Guwahati. Nongkynrih received a cash prize of 1 lakh rupees for his epic novel, Funeral Nights. Assam Sahitya Sabha president Dr. Dhrubajyoti Bora handed over the honor as Assam Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu looked on.
The Taburam Taid Memorial Trust and the Society for Research and Development of Language, Arts and Culture, Assam, manage the award. The Trust’s citation lauded the book for its deep look at Khasi identity and memory. It weaves Khasi folklore into modern urban life. The novel gained acclaim well beyond regional borders. Minister Pegu noted the selection process involved young researchers before an expert panel made the final call. He stated, "Funeral Nights, the evening’s principal award winner, was first identified by young researchers before being selected by a panel of experts."
Other writers received recognition during the event. Anuradha Sharma Pujari won the Upanyas Samrat Rajanikanta Bordoloi Samannay Literary Award 2026 for her book, Mereng. Migang Kalinath Panging accepted the Professor Tabu Ram Taid Mising Literary Award. Additionally, Migang Indreswar Pegu took home the translation award for his Mising version of Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali. Nongkynrih currently serves as a professor in the Department of English at North-Eastern Hill University.
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