Ready to take back Sahitya Akademi award: Writer Nand

Jaipur, Jan 22: Noted writer Nand Bharadwaj, who had returned his Sahitya Akademi award last year in protest against alleged intolerance in the country, has decided to take back the award.

Rajasthani and Hindi writer Bharadwaj said he agreed to take back the award as he is now convinced by the Akademi, which held an executive meeting to condemn the killing of rationalists.

"It was a different situation in the country when the authors returned the award. "Some time back, the Akademi held a meeting and took a positive decision following which I have decided to take back the award," he told reporters at the Jaipur Literature Festival here.

Bharadwaj said he wrote two days back to the Akademi declaring his decision. The writer had in October last year returned the award, which he had received in 2004, to protest against alleged intolerance and killing of rationalists. He, however, said that he "would continue to oppose the issue of intolerance whenever required and at every level".

"Intolerance issue has not subsided," he said. Earlier today, Sahitya Akademi said that some of the writers, including Nayantara Sahgal, have agreed to take back the awards they had returned citing 'growing intolerance' in the country.

PTI