Acharya Janaki Ballabh Shastri agrees to accept Padmashri award

Barely hours after refusing the Padmashri conferred on him this year, eminent poet Acharya Janaki Ballabh Shastri agreed to accept it.

Shastri agreed to accept the honour following requests by his well-wishers and admirers, one of his family members said.

Earlier, when approached for his comments Shastri said "I had refused the gesture of awarding me the Padmashri way back in 1994 ... It doesn't carry any meaning for me at this stage and age."

"My disciples and younger generation deserve the award more than me," the octogenarian poet had said.

Acharya Shastri is the author of many well-known stories, novels, plays, essays, gazals, songs and biography in Hindi besides being a critic. His famous works include 'Roop Aaroop', 'Teer Tarang', 'Meghgeet', 'Pashani', 'Tamsa' and 'Iravati'.

He has been conferred with various awards like Rajendra Shikhar Samman, Bharat Bharati Award and Shivpujan Sahay Award.