ITANAGAR : The Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS) has selected Tony Koyu for the Luminous Lummer Dai Literary Award 2026 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to literature and language development in Arunachal Pradesh.

Koyu is the inventor of Tani Lipi, the first indigenous script developed for the Tani tribes of the state. Using the script, he has authored novels, poems, short stories and articles in the Galo language, besides contributing literary works in Hindi and English.

He has also received several honours, including the Bharat Jyoti Award, Sanskar Bharati Award and Penguin Publication Award.

A founding vice-president of the Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society, Koyu played a significant role in the growth and development of the organisation during its formative years.

According to an APLS statement issued by general secretary Mukul Pathak on Wednesday, the award — regarded as the only state-level literary honour in Arunachal Pradesh — was selected by the president of the society.

The award will be presented during the celebration of the 87th birth anniversary of late Lummer Dai, regarded as the doyen of Arunachal literature, on June 1, 2026.

The award carries a specially designed memento created by noted Assamese sculptor Biren Sinha, along with a citation, a set of books and a cash prize of Rs 50,000.