The Sahitya Akademi is a national organization in India that aims to promote literature in the various languages spoken in the country. It was established on March 12, 1954, and is independent, although it receives support from the Indian government. The Sahitya Akademi conducts national and regional workshops and seminars, provides research and travel grants to authors, publishes books and journals (including the Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature), and awards the Sahitya Akademi Award of INR. 100,000 to outstanding writers in each of the 24 languages it supports. It also presents the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement. In addition, the Sahitya Akademi Library is one of the largest multi-lingual libraries in India, featuring an extensive collection of literature and related works.