HYDERABAD: Telangana writer Pattipaka Mohan has been bestowed with the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar-2022 for his poetry “Baalala Taataa Baapuji”.Mohan belongs to a weaver family in Sircilla town and works as an assistant editor (Telugu) at the National Book Trust. He has penned over 15 books and is also a literary critic.
He owes his literary interest from childhood to his bibliophile aunt. “She was very good at re-interpreting the stories I read, my grandfather’s influence also had me learning Kabir’s dohas and Vemana padyalu quite early. Writers like C Narayana Reddy and N Gopi inspired me,” Mohan said.
Mohan, however, said that writing books for children were not easy. “It’s important to have a rhythm,” he said.Mohan’s upcoming books this year included “CiNaRe Kadha, A..Aa..E..Ee and Akupachani Geyalu, ”KCR delighted at the award.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his delight at the selection of Mohan for the coveted award. In a statement, the Chief Minister said that it was a great moment that the poetry - ‘Balala Tatha Bapuji’ written by Mohan clinched the award.
The Chief Minister said that winning the award by a Telangana litterateur for his work for children on Mahatma Gandhi brought more glory on the occasion of “Swatantra Bharata Vajrotsavalu”.
“I wish Mohan, the disciple of noted writer late Dr C Naranaya Reddy, who hails from weavers’ community from Sircilla, ascends many heights in the field of literature and brings more laurels to Telangana literature,” the Chief Minister said in a message.