TNI Bureau: Veteran Odia writer and columnist Gourahari Das has been selected for the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for the year 2012. He will be awarded for his collection of short stories ‘Kanta O’ Anyanya Galpa’.
‘Kanta O’ Anyanya Galpa’ comprises 16 stories. All the stories depict a glimpse of rural Odisha. The author, who takes credit for writing 47 books so far, feels elated for the award.
Apart from Das, K Satchidanandan, Chadrakant Devtale, Jeet Thayil, Chandana Goswami, Subrata Mukhopadhayay and Jayant Pawar are among writers and poets, who have been selected for this year’s Sahitya Akademi awards.
Earlier, Mr Das had been awarded the state Sahitya Akademi Award in 2000 for his contribution to literature.
The award was recommended by the distinguished jury members representing 24 languages and approved by the executive board of the Sahitya Akademi. A Jury of three members in the concerned languages recommended the books.
Mr Das along with other writers will be awarded on February 18 in New Delhi. The award contains an engraved copper plaque, a shawl and Rs 1 lakh cheque.