These days, the e-mail of the LITERA Agency for the Translation of Literary Works and the Representation of Authors, based in Bijeljina, received a notification from India that the Bosnian writer for children and young people, Bajruzin Hajra Planjac, will be awarded the Dickens Gold Medal for Literary Excellence on 10 February 2026, in Calcutta at the IV Literary Festival.
– On that occasion, Planjac will be awarded the Charter for the best non-fiction book Bracika’s Bunch, as well as the Charter of Honor at the 4th International Literary Festival in Calcutta, pointed out M.Sc. Dragana Pavlović Ribać, translator and manager of this Bijeljina agency, who translated the works of a dozen authors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Croatia into numerous world languages and added:
– Two publishing houses from India published about ten books with several editions each, Isekai Labst LPP Etail from Hyderabad and Tulika Publishers from Mumbai. Certainly, Bracika’s series is the most widely circulated in India, and Ukyioto Publishing from Ontario, Canada purchased the copyright for itself, but also for third parties, and nominated it for a major international award, which many call the Little Nobel. According to many, this award is right after the Astrid Lindgren award, for which Planjca was nominated by the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024. If Planjac will not be present in Calcutta, India, awards and recognition will be awarded to him in Bijeljina at the premises of LITERA, at a literary evening organized in honor of Planjac, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, Dragana Pavlović Ribać pointed out at the end.
Academician, prof. Ph.D. Milutin Đuričković, president of the Institute for Children’s Literature from Belgrade, one of the best connoisseurs of the literary creativity of the most translated contemporary Bosnian writer for children and young people, on the occasion of Planjac’s nomination for the Charles Dickens Gold, said:
– Rarely has a Bosnian writer for children and young people in the last few years, even decades, deserved such a great and elaborate reception of his creativity, as is the case with Bajruzin Hajra Planjec.
The writer Šimo Ešić, president of the Institute for Children’s Literature in Bosnia and Herzegovina, recently wrote:
– His novels made Planjac one of the most widely circulated and popular children’s writers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With his appearance, a lot of liveliness was brought into the rather monotonous space of children’s literature. After a decade or two, the value of Planjč’s work was recognized by readers in thirty-five countries of Europe, America, India,…
By the way, the academician, prof. Ph.D. Bajruzin Hajro Planjac, novelist, storyteller, poet for children and youth, journalist, editor and publisher, was born on March 19, 1961 in Bobare near Tešnj.
He published several books on science (economics) and about fifty books and picture books on art (literature) for children and youth, with several editions each.
He is the most translated contemporary writer from Bosnia and Herzegovina. His books are published and distributed, in addition to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Albania, Algeria, America, Argentina, Bulgaria, Brazil, Montenegro, Denmark, France, Greece, Croatia, India, South Cyprus, Italy, Indonesia, Kosovo, Canada, Hungary, Morocco, Germany, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Serbia, S. Cyprus, Macedonia, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Tunisia, and soon in Japan and China.
In 2024, the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina nominated him for the Astrid Lindgren Award – the biggest award in the world for children’s literature. In Macedonia, he was awarded the Goce Misla, in Serbia the Lukijan Mušicki Award, and in Russia the Gratitude for Habet’s Hut.
He is an academician of the Bosnian Academy of Sciences and Arts Kulin ban (BANUK) based in Sarajevo and the International Research Academy of Sciences and Arts MIANU based in Belgrade.
His more significant works are: Habet’s Hut, Kiket’s Trench, Mirza’s Diary, Bracika’s Group, Manguparis Mutka the Genius, Writer with Two Names, Secrets of Grandfather’s Mill, Best Friend, Silver Childhood, Wizard’s Tales,…
He is the editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief at the publishing and printing house PLANJAX komerc.
