Newdelhi:13/2/18;Famous Kannada playwright, poet, novelist and Jnanpith award-winning writer Chandrashekhara Kambara was elected president of the Sahitya Akademi while hindi writer Madhav Kaushik, was elected vice president on Monday.
Mr Kambara won the election in a triangular contest between him, well-known Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade and Oriya writer Pratibha Ray. Like Mr Kambara, both are winners of Jnanpith Awards.
Mr Kambara got 56 out of total 89 votes while Prativa Ray get 29 vote .
Mr Kaushik has defeated Director of the Central Hindi Institute Nand Kishor Pandey. He got 58 out of 89 votes in the election of vice president.
Born on January 2, 1937 in Ghodageri,Belgaum district of Karnataka, Mr Kambara will replace the famous Hindi writer Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari whose tenure ended on December 31.
Mr Kambara has been the president of the National School of Drama.
He was awarded in 1983 with Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sahitya Academy in 1991, Padmashree in 2001, and Jnanpith Award in 2011.
In 2011, he was made fellow of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He was also the founder Vice Chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi.