Bhubaneswar, Aug. 29: Former professor of Berhampur University Sudarshan Acharya was conferred the coveted Atibadi Jagannath Das Award for Literature (2006) here at a glittering ceremony last evening.

Acharya, who received the award from the culture minister, Surya Narayan Patro, has been a versatile writer donning many hats that of a literary critic, translator and a book editor. The award instituted by Orissa Sahitya Akademi is the state’s highest honour for literature and carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a plaque and a citation.

Besides, 30 other literary luminaries were felicitated and awarded on the occasion for their noteworthy contribution to Oriya literature.

Twelve senior litterateurs including Bishnu Charan Mohanty (Bhubaneswar), Subodh Kumar Chatterjee (Cuttack), Prafulla Chandra Patnaik (Puri), Rabindra Kumar Praharaj (Bhubaneswar), Hadibandhu Mirdha (Bararh), Arabinda Mohapatra (Sambalpur), Bhagaban Nayak Barma (Bhadrak), Sabitri Devi (Cuttack), Krushna Prasad Mohapatra (Bhubaneswar), Nityananda Nayak and Bipin Behari Khamari (Bhubaneswar) and Purnamasi Jani (Phulbani) who were felicitated for the year 2006. Each carries a cash award of Rs 10,000 and citations. Others who attended the function were Jnanpith awardee, poet Sitakant Mohapatra, culture secretary Gopinath Mohanty, Akademi president Deepak Mishra, vice-president Hussain Rabi Gandhi and secretary Pravakar Mallick.