Hindi scholar honoured in New Jersey

New York, May 23 (UNI) Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmiprasad, who authored "Draupadi" both in Hindi and Telugu, has been honored at Edison in neighbouring New Jersey by the Indian-American community.

Currently holding the post of chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Hindi Academy, Dr Lakshmiprasad a Padmasree award winner earlier this year, is a noted Hindi scholar.

The felicitation was organised by Srinivas Polavarapu, a former student of the scholar. About 500 members of the community, mostly Telugus, attended the event, which lasted about three hours.

Dr Lakshmiprasad welcomed the recent announcement of President Bush that Hindi and other foreign languages will be taught and allocated some resources in his budget speech.

''I am immensely happy that our national language Hindi is short-listed which shows the growing importance of the Indian community in the national affairs,'' a statement released by the organisers quoted him as saying. He said at the event held last week, that he would do his post to propagate Hindi in the United States.

Mr H R Shah of TV Asia, which broadcasts Hindi and other Indian language programmes in the U S, cited his closer affinity with the Telugu community.

The felicitation function was held on the TV Asia office premises.

The Global Community Achievements Awards Association, a nonprofit body headed by Mr Polavarapu, presented an organisational award to Dr Lakshmiprasad in recognition of his remarkable achievements in fields of Hindi and Telugu literatures. Others such as Upendra Chivukula, a New Jersey assemblyman, and Mr Shah were also honoured.

Mr Chivukula released the Telugu version of "Drowpadi" while the Hindi adaptation was unveiled by Mr Shah.

UNI XC SB KP1541