FISHERMAN'S SON BREAKS barriers, wins literary award

In the small coastal hamlet of Vada Rambilli under Rambilli mandal in Anakapalle district, a powerful story of resilience and literary achievement has emerged.

- SREENU BABU PATIVADA @ Anakapalle

Surada Prasad, a 25-year-old writer known by his pen name Prasad Suri, has become the first—and youngest—member of the fishermen community to receive the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar in 2025.

His Telugu novel Mairaavana earned him the prestigious award, marking a significant milestone not just for himself but also for his Vada Balija community along the Visakhapatnam coast.

Prasad's journey is one of determination, passion, and an unwavering commitment to storytelling. Born to Surada Chandrarao and Nukaratnam, a fishermen couple who moved from Vada Narsapuram to the Buggavagu reservoir in Macherla of Palnadu district in search of a livelihood, he grew up in a family unfamiliar with reading or writing.