Ashok Vajpeyi takes over as pro-tem chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi

New Delhi, Feb 25 (UNI) Eminent Hindi poet and critic Ashok Vajpeyi today took over as the pro-tem Chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi.

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

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, including three books on S H Raza and other contemporary painters.

Translated into several Indian and foreign languages, he has been instrumental in founding and running many prestigious institutions, including Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal; Department of Culture, Madhya Pradesh government, Kalidas Akademi, Ujjain and Madhya Pradesh Folk and Tribal Arts Council.

A recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and Dayavati Modi Kavi Shekhar Samman, he has been honoured by the French and Polish governments for his cultural contributions.

UNI SKS VD ND1822