Father Debrito to be president of Marathi Sahitya Sammelan

Noted author and environment activist Father Francis Debrito was chosen as president of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan scheduled to be held over three days in Osmanabad starting January 10 next year, the organising body said on Sunday.

The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, a highly regarded gathering of authors, poets and critics, has been held for over nine decades now and the Osmanabad edition will be the 93rd one, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Parishad informed.

Debrito (77) hails from Vasai in neighbouring Palghar district, and his book 'Nava Karar', a translation of the New Testament in contemporary context, was awarded by the Sahitya Akademi.

An author of several books, Debrito's columns appear regularly in Marathi newspapers.