Kalidas Samman is one of the popular awards presented to the person with great talent in writing field. This award is presented every year by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. This award is presented by the government to the people who are most deserving in the field of literature, drama and arts. This very award is named after the great poet called; Kalidasa, a famous classical Sanskrit language writer in ancient India, and is also widely recognized as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.

This very award, that has become popular among the people, was first awarded in the year 1980. In the beginning the award was conferred in alternate years in the fields of Indian Classical Music, Indian Classical Dance, Indian Theatre and Plastic Arts. But from 1986-87 onwards, the Kalidas Samman were presented, every year, in all four fields. This award is presented for exceptional accomplishment in one of the four sections.

Prize And Selection for Kalidas Samman Currently, the award, Kalaidasa Samman carries a cash prize of 2 lakhs (200,000) rupees. The winners are selected after a series of processes, whereby a jury is appointed by Government of Madhya Pradesh that contains distinguished artists, art critics and also officials from the Sangeet Natak Akademi (India`s National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama).