Vijayawada: Renowned writer, poet Nikhileswar has been chosen for the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-2020 for his anthology of poems ‘Agniswaasa’. He compiled the ‘Agniswaasa’ in 2017. A poet with a focus on social issues for almost six decades now, he also contributed to English and Hindi languages.

Speaking to the media persons, he said, “Though, some Telangana poets are doing a good job even today, the latest trend is that a section of the poets have pledged fielty to the rulers. This is a dangerous trend. All the democratic, human rights and Left forces should unite at this juncture”, he said.

Nikhileswar was the founder-secretary of Viplava Rachayitala Sangham (VIRASAM) and was jailed under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1971 for his revolutionary writings and also participating in civil rights movement. He was born as Kumbham Yadav Reddy in Veeravalli village of the present Yadadri Bhongir district in Telangana; he was more popular with his pen name ‘Nikhileswar’.

He got BA, B.Ed from Osmania University, he served as a civilian school teacher in the Army, as a clerk in the Indian Air Force and as a sub-editor in Golconda Patrika, a Telugu-language journal. He also worked as a teacher at Keshav Memorial School between 1966 and 1996.

While he was working as a guest editor for Poet, a monthly magazine published from Chennai during 1969, he got Digambara Kavitvam translated into English. Apart from Digambara Kavitvam, his works include ‘Mandutunna Taram’ (1972), Life: The edge of the knife (in English), ‘Itihas Ke Mod Par’ (in Hindi) and several others.

Meanwhile, Manasa Yenduluri also bagged Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar-2020 for Milinda (short stories) and Kanneganti Anasuya won Bala Sahitya Puraskar 2020 for Snehitulu (short stories).