“It’s Not Just About One Media House”: Tribal Poet Jacinta Kerketta Refuses India Today Award (Image:X/itacofficial)

The renowned Hindi-language poet, activist, and journalist Jacinta Kerketta was recently chosen by the India Today Group for their Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Udyman Pratibha Samman. But the poet, who hails from an Adivasi community, refused the award distressed about the lack of respect being given to the tribal people in Manipur. “It is not about one media house, but any decision I take will definitely be influenced by how the so-called mainstream media of the country plays its role towards marginalised people”, she said.

Jacinta Kerketta was awarded for her collection of Hindi-language poems Ishwar aur Bazaar. She is an acclaimed writer, poet and journalist from Jharkhand and a member of the Oraon Adivasi community. Her poetry and journalism majorly encompass the Adivasi identity of youth and her writings are protests against the systematic oppression of Adivasis” in India.

She also questions the state apathy of governance. Gender-based violence, especially against women and displacement comes often in her writings. And she was also named by the Forbes India as one of India’s top 20 Self-Made Women. Her award-winning book, Ishwar aur Bazaar focuses on religion, power, and grassroot struggles of tribals.

It was on November 21, Jacinta Kerketta said that she received a call and a message about being selected for the Aaj Tak Sahitya Jagriti Udyaman Pratibha Samman for her book Ishwar aur Bazaar, published in 2022. The award came along with a prize of Rs 50,000 and will be held at the National Stadium in New Delhi for three days.

“This is coming at a time when the respect for life of the tribals of Manipur is ending”, she told the online news portal Newslaundry. “The respect for life of the tribals in central India is disappearing as well, and people from other communities are also being attacked continuously in the global society. My mind remains distressed and I am not feeling any thrill or happiness with this acknowledgment”, Jacinta Kerketta added.

Jacinta Kerketta decided to become a journalist after witnessing intense violence that went unnoticed by local reporters. During her career, she received many accolades including the Asia Indigenous Peoples” Pact (AIPP), Ravishankar Upadhyay Memorial Youth Poetry Award, Aparajita Award, and many more.