Telugu writer Bhoopal Reddy to return Sahitya Akademi award

Hyderabad: Telugu writer Bhoopal Reddy on Thursday said he has decided to return his Sahitya Akademi award as a mark of protest against growing attacks on progressive-minded writers.

"I will return the award either tomorrow or day after. We have seen how M M Kalburgi was killed due to lack of communal harmony. Nobody is arrested so far. There should be someone to say this," Reddy told PTI here.

Reddy (62), who has authored several books for children, had received the coveted award in 2011.

Some of his other works include a novel on the early 20th century tribal leader Komaram Bheem, Enthemtha Dooram.