BENGALURU: Eminent Kannada writer and Jnanpith award winner Chandrashekhara Kambara was elected as the president of Kendra Sahitya Akademi on Monday. Kambara, became the third Kannada writer to be elected to head the the premier body of litterateurs, after he brushed aside competition from Marathi writer Bhalachandra Nemade and Odiya writer Prathibha Ray. Kambara secured 56 of the 89 votes polled by members of the general council to elect the president of the Akademi and emerged as the winner.
THOUGH known for his immense contribution to the field of Kannada folklore literature, Jnanpith winner and Kendra Sahitya Akademi president Chandrashekhara Kambara has distinguished himself in all forms of writing in Kannada, such as plays, poems and novels. An academic, he has also published several research articles regarding folklore, old Kannada literature and others. After having left his indelible mark in the field of Kannada folklore and literature, writers from the state now hope that Kambara — the newly-elected president of the Akademi — will push for projects which are very close to his heart.
Among the issues that might get priority during his tenure, according to Aravinda Malagatthi, president of Karnataka Sahitya Academy, was providing primary education in the student’s mother tongue — Kannada in Karnataka. “During my stint as a member of the Kendra Writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa said that it was a great news for Kannada literature as yet another Jnanpith award winner has been being elected as Akademi president. “His role is at a national-level now. He has the responsibility to provide justice to all forms of literature in different languages of the country,” he said.
Chandrashekhara Kambara
Born: Ghodageri, Belagavi district on Janury 1937
l Won Jnanpith award for the year 2011 — eighth
Kannadiga to do so l Won Padma Shri, Pampa
Award, Karnataka
Sahitya Academy award,and several others
l Chairman of NationalSchool of Drama
Society, Delhi, from1996-2000
l Was founder Vice-Chancellor of Kannada
University, Hampil Won Sahitya Akademi
Award for his play‘Sirisampige’ in 1991
l Has directed movies andacted in them