The President: The first President of the Sahitya Akademi was Sri Jawaharlal Nehru. He was re-elected in 1963.

After his demise in May 1964, the General Council elected Dr. S. Radhakrishnan as the President of the Sahitya Akademi. On reconstitution of the General Council, Dr. Zakir Husain was elected the President of the Sahitya Akademi in February 1968. After his demise in May 1969, the General Council elected Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji as the President. He was re-elected by the General Council in February 1973. After his death in May 1977, Prof. K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar, Vice President, was designated as Acting President. In February 1978, Prof. Umashankar Joshi was elected the President of the Akademi. In February 1983, Prof. V.K. Gokak was elected the President and in February 1988, Dr. B.K. Bhattacharyya was elected the President. Professor U.R. Anantha Murthy was elected President in 1993. Sri Ramakanta Rath was elected President in 1998. The General Council was reconstituted f ...more