Adivasi activist and writer Jacinta Kerkatta has declined an award jointly given by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Room to Read India Trust, citing solidarity with victims of the Israel-Palestine conflict and objecting to Room to Read India Trust’s association with Boeing, a company linked to the Israeli military.
Kerkatta, known for her poetry collection Jirhul, was selected for the ‘Room to Read Young Author Award’ in the Children’s Book Creators’ Awards. However, citing her concern over the violence in Palestine and its impact on children, she made the decision to reject the honour.
Jirhul, a book of poems related to the lives of people in Adivasi areas, aims to raise social and political awareness, particularly among children. Kerkatta has expressed disappointment that despite the importance of children's literature, the current global situation, where children are victims of war, made it difficult for her to accept an award celebrating work for children.
In addition to rejecting the award, Kerkatta pointed to Room to Read India Trust’s association with Boeing, a company with longstanding ties to the Israeli military. She raised concerns about the compatibility of promoting children's education while being linked to an industry that contributes to warfare. Boeing has been involved with the Israel army for 75 years, according to reports, and has partnered with Room to Read India Trust on educational initiatives in the past.
Kerkatta formally communicated her decision to decline the award to both USAID and Room to Read India Trust, outlining her reasons for doing so. The awards organisers have not yet publicly responded to her decision, though the second edition of the Children’s Literature Awards is scheduled for October 7, according to the event’s official website.
Jirhul was published earlier this year by Jugnu Prakashan, part of Iktara Trust, Bhopal. Kerkatta has been an advocate for preserving cultural diversity in literature, particularly focusing on the representation of indigenous knowledge and traditions for children, who are often exposed only to mainstream symbols such as roses and lotus in their reading materials.
This is not the first time Kerkatta has declined an award in protest. Last year, she refused an award from the India Today group, citing the lack of respect for Adivasi communities in Manipur. Her activism has consistently highlighted issues of Indigenous rights and the marginalisation of these communities across India.
Last week, author Jhumpa Lahiri declined an award from New York's Noguchi Museum after the museum dismissed three employees for wearing keffiyeh scarves, which are seen as a symbol of solidarity with Palestine.