Telugu writer Penugonda Lakshminarayana receives Kendra Sahitya Akademi award

Lakshminarayana, a resident of Guntur, is also a practicing lawyer. He has been actively involved with the Progressive Writers' Association since 1972, holding various district, state, and national-level positions. In 2023, he made history by becoming the first Telugu writer to be elected as the national president of the association. His literary journey began in 1972 with the poem "Samidhi".

On Wednesday, the Sahitya Akademi announced the winners of the Central Sahitya Akademi Awards for 21 Indian languages. Among the selected works are eight poetry collections, three novels, two short story collections, three essay collections, and three books on literary criticism. One book each on drama and research has also been chosen for this prestigious award. Awards for Bengali, Dogri, and Urdu languages will be announced at a later stage.

A jury comprising eminent figures from various Indian languages meticulously evaluated numerous books and recommended the winners for this prestigious award. The Sahitya Akademi Executive Board, chaired by Madhav Kaushik, met on Wednesday and announced the names of the selected books. The awards, which include a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a shawl, will be presented to the winners in Delhi on March 8 of the following year.

Professor Rachapalem Chandrasekhar Reddy represented the Telugu language on the jury.