Ashok Vajpeyi appointed pro-tem chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi

New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) Eminent Hindi poet and critic Ashok Vajpeyi has been appointed pro-tem Chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi with immediate effect, the Culture Ministry announced today.

Mr Vajpeyi, appointed on the recommendation of Culture Minister Ambika Soni, will hold the office till a regular chairman is appointed, a statement from the ministry said.

An illustrious personality of the literary world, he has held various important positions, including Vice-Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi International Hindu University; Chairman, Bharat Bhavan Trust; Trustee, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts; and Member, Indian Council of Cultural Relations.

He also served as Executive Board Member of Sangeet Natak Akademi.

A leading poet and essayist, Mr Vajpeyi has a number of publications to his credit. He also won Dayavati Modi Kavi Shekhar Samman, 1994 and Sahitya Akademi Award, 1994.

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