Senior journalist and writer A Krishna Rao on Monday was selected for the Sahitya Akademi award for his translation work ‘Guppedu Sooryudu Mari Konni Kavithalu’.

In a letter, Dr K Sreenivasarao, Secretary of the Sahitya Akademi, wrote “I have much pleasure in confirming that the Executive Board of the Sahitya Akademi has, at its meeting held on Monday, January 28, 2019, at New Delhi, under the Chairmanship of its President Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, selected your Guppedu Sooryudu Mari Konni Kavithalu (Telugu) for the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize 2018. Please accept my heartiest congratulations.”

Krishna Rao had translated renowned poet Padma Sachdev’s works from Dogri to Telugu.

“I may inform your that the Translation Prize carried a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and an inscribed cooper plaque…A special function to give away the Translation Prizes will be held sometime later,” the letter added.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also congratulated Krishna Rao for the award.

“The Chief Minister expressed his happiness over the announcement of Central Sahitya Academy award to Sri Apparasu Krishna Rao of Mahbubnagar District for Translation. Krishna Rao rendered his services as a journalist, poet and writer. CM said that he deserves the award. CM desired that Krishna Rao should grow up in the field of journalism and literary field and strive to get a good name for the state,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s office said.

Meanwhile, in the press note, the Akademi said that the Executive Board which met to decide the Translation Prizes, selected books on the basis of recommendations made by the Selection Committee, with three members each in the concerned languages, in accordance with the rules and procedure laid down for the purpose.

“The prize relates to translations first published during the five years prior to the year immediately preceding the year of Prize for Translation (i.e. between January 1 2012 and December 31, 2018),” the press note stated.