When I wonder whether a person who is surprising one and an important part of human imagination can be seen in practice in ordinary life, the answer is always in the negative, but when I look at the hard working and honorable secretary of the Sahitya Akademi (Academi of letters) Dr. K.S.Rao, the answer takes a positive form.And my mind and heart are inclined to say that such personalities make the impossible possible.
His life is full of ups and downs. He belongs to a poor family who were forbidden to dream, but Dr. K.S.Rao also dreamed and interpreted his dreams also. Mirza Ghalib described it in this way:
Ranj se Khugar hua insan to mit jaata hai ranj
Mushkilei mujh par padi itni ke aasaan ho gayein
(“If a person is overcome with sorrow, then the sorrow disappears
Difficulties fell on me so much that they became easy”)
It can be called a miracle that he got a position from a simple clerk to a secretary on the basis of his abilities, and he also set a precedent by getting it in one of India’s most prestigious literary institution, the Sahitya Akademi. It is an extraordinary achievement of theirs. It is also true that they have never been cut off from their land. One of the most important qualities among him is that he has great respect for writers, poets, creators, critics and human beings. And always cherish them. Therefore, God’s special grace has been bestowed on him. He also has a unique personality in that he is an excellent administrator along with writing and he also has tremendous organizational skills. He add beautiful colors to whatever he plan to do.He is also a religious person. I have seen him with my own eyes while performing puja in the morning. Pooja is an integral part of his life, perhaps that is why honest and fair elements are imbued in him.
Dr. K.S.Rao is currently the Secretary of Sahitya Akademi. He has been holding this post since February 2012. He is an intellectual, resourceful and ethical personality. His full name is Kruthiventi Srinivasa Rao but in the Sahitya world he is known as Dr. K.S .Rao. It is a matter of pride that the Sahitya Akademi has achieved during his tenure as Secretary. He is a very dynamic and hard working person. I know him since 2007. It was then that I was employed there as an Urdu consultant. My job was temporary but after one and a half years I was permanently appointed as Program Officer in 2009. Raoji was a program officer from long back. Considering his hard work and dedication, the academy entrusted him with many responsibilities. He was very close to a legend Prof. Gopi chand Narang. He also played an important role in my appointment. I have never forgotten his kindness. I had heard about his journey from the floor to the throne in the Sahitya Akademi, having seen his progress with my own eyes. In the Sahitya Akademi, he has traveled from a minor clerk to a secretary. This may come as a surprise to anyone. No one is blessed with such great success. For this he sacrificed his sleep day and night. He made all the sacrifices for his better career. He also received a doctorate degree. He not only saw the tenure of many presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries of Sahitya Akademi but also worked with them. He was also the personal secretary (PS) of many secretaries. In the meantime, he gained immense experience. Among the former presidents of Sahitya Akademi are eminent critic of Urdu literature Prof. Gopichand Narang (President: February 2003 to February 2008), prominent Bangla fiction writer Mr. Sunil Gangopadhyay (President: February 2008 to October 2012), well-known Hindi writer Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari (President: From February 2013 to February 2018) and during the presidency of the famous Kannada dramatist and writer Professor Chandrashekhar Kambar (March 2018 till now), he worked very actively and rendered his valuable services to the Akademi. He also closely watched the visits of prominent Punjabi writer Mr. Satinder Singh Noor, well-known Hindi writer Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, Kannada’s Chandrashekhar Kambar and Hindi’s Mr. Madhav kaushik. And saw his work in the secretaryship of important personalities like Agrahara Krishnamurthy, the famous Kannada writer, and performed his duties well. It is as if he was heated in the furnace of experience.
In the 68-year history of the Sahitya Akademi, the role of more or less all the secretaries has been important, but the uniqueness of Dr. K.S.Rao’s work is undeniable. He did many new works including Youth Award and Children’s Literature Award in particular. Rao ji’brilliant thought has been involved in introducing these two awards in the Academy for the first time. This work could not have been possible without his efforts. He gave a new twist to these two awards. He has also organized many important national and international programs. During his time, the transparency in the awards has reduced the controversies a lot. With the increase in the quality of book publishing, their sales are witnessing an unprecedented growth. Fine examples of translations can be seen during his period. It is the result of his efforts that Sahitya Akademi in Dwarka ,New Delhi has come up with its own new building. Everyone dreamed of it but Rao ji completed it. It is an unforgettable work that will always be remembered. . If we look at these basic tasks separately, the activities of the Academy will be very lacking.
Rao ji has done beautiful landscaping of Sahitya Akademi. He has devoted every moment of his life for its betterment. He has not only raised the literary activities to the pinnacle and not only created transparency in the awards but also made the good publication of the three magazines of the Akademi “Indian Literature”, “Samkaleen Bhartiya Sahitya”, and Samskrita Pratibha” a pride and an exemplary standard. He has also expanded the library of Sahitya Akademi with new technology. He has made the cultural exchange program very active. Under his secretaryship, new documentary films of eminent personalities in different languages have also been made for the Sahitya Akademi which are our valuable assets. During his time various projects of the Akademi like “Archives of Indian Literature” and “Centres for Translation” are being successfully completed. Likewise four schemes of the Akademi “Encyclopaedia of Indian Poetics”, “Navodaya Scheme”, “National Bibliography of Indian Literature” and “History of Indian Literature” are running with great success under his guidance.
His secretaryship has made the new Center for Oral and Tribal Literature opened in New Delhi very active. The main objective of which is to preserve our literary heritage in a systematic and scientific way. This will help the Indian people to better understand the world view of the ancient societies and harmonize with our traditional knowledge. Dr. Rao has taken several important steps towards preserving the original oral texts available in these languages in audio and audio-video formats, including translation into written form in scheduled languages and English for wider distribution. This work is going on. Its original idea is to create a ‘House of Voices’.
He has also made the regional offices of Sahitya Akademi like Kolkata office, Bangalore office, Chennai office, Mumbai office and Agartala office very effective.
He brightened up the academy programs at all levels even during the dark days of Covid 19.. Above all, he has upheld the image of the Sahitya Akademi both nationally and internationally. He did not discriminate against any Indian language but treated all equally. Also, he never allowed the academy to become a political base, maintained its autonomy and strengthened its autonomous structure. It is also an extraordinary thing that since its inception, the old prestige of the Sahitya Akademi has been maintained. And this is also the reason why the eyes of writers of all languages are focused on it.
I have also traveled with him several times to conduct the academy program. He has always appeared to me to be a simple-hearted person, an intelligent officer and an excellent administrator. Their conversation (said, unsaid) I feel quite sweet. They also avoid unnecessary expenses on themselves like big officers. Wherever they stay for official events is not a very expensive place. Not expensive hotels. He is vegetarian. It seems more appropriate to say that officially their bills are always lower.
In short, Dr. Rao is an excellent officer as well as an excellent human being. Despite holding such an important position, I never saw any pride in him. He is a better mentor to his employees. A good servant for language and good manners for friends. Looking at his compassion and work, I call him Iron Man. His personality is charismatic because he does difficult tasks with ease. Also, he get considerable success in whatever he do. In other words, I think it is appropriate to say that when he touches the soil, it turns to gold. His personality has also been an example of loyalty under conditions. I salute his all-round personality from the bottom of my heart. I am sure that the height and stature Sahitya Akademi achieved under his secretaryship will always be remembered. And it has also proved that nothing is impossible for any person.
In fact this couplet of Allama Iqbal seems to be a reflection of Dr. Rao’s personality and it is also true to his compassion and hard work.
Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqdeer se pehle
Khuda bande se khud pooche bata teri raza kiya hai
(“Elevate yourself so much that before every destiny
Almighty himself ask you what is your pleasure”)
Dr. Mushtaque Sadaf
Visiting Professor,
Hindi-Urdu ICCR Chair
Tajik National University, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
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