Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar Scheme for writing original book in Hindi

What is the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original books in Hindi?

Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar is an incentive award run by the Department of Official Language (Rajbhasha Vibhag) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. According to the Department of Official Language, the award is designed to encourage the writing of original, knowledge-based books in Hindi and to promote the use of Hindi as the official language in technical and specialised fields.

The distinguishing idea of the scheme is that it rewards original writing in Hindi, not translation. India has long had more technical material available in English than in Hindi, and the award is intended to build a body of original Hindi literature in domains such as science, technology, law and the arts. From the 2025-26 cycle the Department of Official Language restructured its author awards under the "Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar" name, alongside a separate translation-focused award for books rendered into Hindi.

The scheme is one of several incentive schemes of the Department of Official Language. It should not be confused with the Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar, which rewards ministries, banks, public-sector undertakings and other offices for implementing the Official Language Policy, the Gaurav Puraskar is for individual authors.

How much prize money does the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar give?

According to the Department of Official Language notification, the scheme gives three prizes in each subject category, in a range of roughly Rs 1.5 lakh at the top down to about Rs 40,000. The exact amount attached to the first, second and third prize in each category is fixed in the official notification for that award year, and the number of categories can change between cycles.

Because the precise rank-wise figures are set year to year, an intending author should rely on the current advertisement published on rajbhasha.gov.in rather than on any earlier year's amounts. The winners receive the cash prize along with a certificate and citation from the Department of Official Language.

Who is eligible for the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar?

You can apply if:

• You are a citizen of India.
• You are the author of an original book written in Hindi in one of the eligible subject areas.
• The book was published within the qualifying period named in the notification (a specific calendar year window).
• You submit the entry in the prescribed proforma with the required copies of the book.

Authors whose mother tongue is not Hindi are also eligible — the award deliberately encourages original Hindi writing by speakers of other Indian languages.

You cannot apply if:

• The book is a translation rather than an original work. Translated books are handled under a separate translation award, not this original-writing scheme.
• The book falls outside the eligible subjects or outside the publication window set in the notification.
• You are not an Indian citizen.

Because eligibility conditions such as minimum page length, permitted subjects and the publication window are fixed afresh in each year's notification, confirm them against the current advertisement before entering.

What subjects and books qualify?

The award covers original Hindi books on knowledge subjects. Based on the Department of Official Language notification, eligible domains have included engineering, electronics and computer science; law, police research and forensic science; culture, region, arts and heritage; and other allied knowledge subjects. The intent is to reward substantial, subject-matter books rather than light or purely literary works, and the notification typically sets a minimum length for the book.

What documents are required for the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar?

How to apply for the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar

1. Open the Department of Official Language website at rajbhasha.gov.in and go to the Incentive Schemes section to find the current Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar notification.
2. Download the notification and the prescribed proforma, and read the eligible subjects, minimum page requirement, publication window and last date for that year.
3. Fill in the proforma with the author's details and the book's details: title, subject category, publisher and year of publication.
4. Attach the required copies of the book (three copies) and your proof of citizenship.
5. Submit the complete entry to the Department of Official Language at the address and by the last date given in the notification.

Because this is a periodic award with a fixed annual window, applications are accepted only while the current advertisement is open.

Where to get help

The scheme is administered by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs. There is no dedicated public helpline number published for the award; queries and completed entries should be directed to the Department through the contact details in the official notification on rajbhasha.gov.in. Always rely on the current-year advertisement for exact prize amounts, eligible subjects and the last date, as these are set fresh each cycle.