'Why I am not a Hindu' bags LISA award

Hyderabad, Jul 2 (UNI) The book 'Why I am not a Hindu', written by former Osmania University Professor Kancha Ilaiah, has bagged the London Institute of South Asia (LISA) award for the year 2008.

Addressing a press conference here today, the former Head of the Department of Political Sciences at the Osmania University, Mr Ilaiah said LISA gave an award every year to an author from South Asia for a ''book that has made a difference.'' The award, including an amount of 2,000 pounds would be presented to the author on July 17 in London. He would give a lecture on being an non Hindu writer at the function, he said.

The book reflects the self-respect of the nation and has been written for the social reforms, containing lifestyles of various communities in the country.

This book had influenced a whole range of new discourse on understanding of India and South Asia. It had been translated into several Indian languages as well as European languages.

It had been adopted as the 'common core text of new reading' on south Asia by several American and European universities, he added.

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