Yuva Srujan Puraskar (Navsarjan Chetana Puraskar)

Yuva Srujan Puraskar (Navsarjan Chetana Puraskar) is an award scheme by the Government of Goa to honor young Goan artists who have shown exceptional skill in art and culture. The Directorate of Art and Culture gives this award every year to recognize talented individuals between 25 and 40 years of age with a certificate, a memento, and a cash prize of ₹25,000.

For the 2025-26 cycle, six young artists were selected for this award in June 2026. The scheme is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 cycle. The application form is available on the official Goa government website and costs ₹10. This award is a good way for young Goan artists to get official appreciation from the state government for their work in music, dance, drama, tiatr, folk art, and other creative fields.

Yuva Srujan Puraskar (Navsarjan Chetana Puraskar) - Introduction

The Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Goa, runs this scheme to find and honor young Goan artists who do excellent work in their creative fields. The award gives these artists proper recognition from the government.

The main aims of this scheme are:

1. Honoring talented young artists for their good work in Goan art and culture.
2. Giving recognition to artists who have done outstanding work in their chosen fields.
3. Finding and promoting such skilled people as official Youth Artists of the state.

Key Information

Benefits

Selected artists get the following awards:

1. A personalized memento, a certificate of appreciation, and a cash prize of ₹25,000 per person.
2. Up to 6 talented people are selected every year from fields like Music, Dance, Drama, Tiatr, Folk Art, Photography, Painting, Craft, Sculpture, Bhajan, Kirtan, Literature, and Film.

For the 2025-26 cycle, the award was given to the following artists:

• Saurabh Karkhanis and Govind Naik (Drama)
• Vishant Gaude (Folk Art)
• Gautam Gawas (Bhajan)
• Deepraj Satardekar (Literature)
• Umakant Poke (Sculpture)

Eligibility

To apply for this award, you need to meet these conditions:

1. You should be an individual artist based in Goa.
2. Your age should be between 25 and 40 years. The committee may relax these age limits by up to 5 years in special cases.
3. You should have made an extraordinary contribution to your specific field of art and culture.
4. You should have actively worked in the art scene in Goa for at least 5 years as a practicing artist.
5. This award is mainly for living artists. But if an artist passes away after the selection committee recommends their name, they may get the award after death.

Exclusions

Some important points to note:

• Individual artists cannot get this award more than once, as it is a one-time recognition.
• The award is generally not given after death, except in the rare case where a candidate passes away after their formal nomination by the selection committee.

Application Process

Offline Application Procedure

You can follow these steps to apply for the award:

Step 1: Visit the Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Goa, located at 5th Floor, Shram Shakti Bhavan, Patto, Panaji, Goa - 403001.

Step 2: Download the official application form for 2026-27 from the Goa government website. The form costs ₹10. You can also collect a hard copy from the office.

Step 3: Fill in all required details, paste a passport-sized photograph signed across its face, and attach all necessary supporting documents.

Step 4: Submit your completed application folder to the ACO-III, Directorate of Art & Culture. For any queries, call 0832-2404606 or email aco6-dac.goa@nic.in.

Application Deadline: The last date to submit the application is within 30 days from the date of the official announcement in the newspaper. For the 2026-27 cycle, the deadline was extended to 17 July 2026. The deadline has now passed, so you should watch for the next announcement for the 2027-28 cycle.

Documents

Make sure you have these documents ready before applying:

1. Recommendation letter from an individual or an institution.
2. Copy of the recommender's ID proof.
3. Birth or age proof certificate of the artist being recommended.
4. Detailed biodata of the artist.
5. Recent passport-sized photograph.
6. Photographic evidence of performances or contributions in your field.
7. Relevant certificates of excellence or past recognition.
8. Copy of your Aadhar Card.
9. Copy of the first page of your bank passbook (for fund payment).

References

Official Scheme Page - Directorate of Art and Culture, Goa

Citizen's Charter

Official Application Form 2026-27

FAQ's

Are there restrictions on the type of art forms eligible for this award?

No, the scheme welcomes artists from many fields including music, dance, drama, literature, and various visual arts.

Is there a preference given to specific art fields?

No, the committee treats all artistic fields with equal importance.

When do officials usually present the award?

The award ceremony generally takes place on or before April 30 each year.

How long does the selection process take?

The final list of recipients is typically announced within 6 months of the application submission deadline.

What is the amount of the cash prize?

Selected artists receive a cash prize of ₹25,000 along with a certificate and memento.

Can I apply again if I have won previously?

No, this award is a one-time honor, and previous winners are not eligible for a second award.

Can I apply if I have won recognition in other states or countries?

Yes, previous recognition outside Goa does not disqualify you, as long as you meet the criteria for contributing to Goan art and culture.

How is the prize money sent to winners?

The government pays the ₹25,000 directly to the bank account details provided in your application form.

Does the Task Force Committee have a role in the selection?

Yes, the Task Force Committee oversees the whole selection process and makes final decisions on eligibility and special cases.