By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS): After a serious health scare, poet-writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar's life has been brightened with some joyful tidings. He has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award, the country's highest literary honour, for his poems in the anthology entitled "Lava".

Happy to be on his feet again, physically and creatively, Akhtar said: "Mazey ki baat yeh hai ki eek parivaar mein teen sadasyon ko Sahitya Akademi award se samnanna gaya hai (Interestingly, three people from the same family have been honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award)."

"My father (poet-lyricist Jan Nisar Akhtar) got the Sahitya Akademi in 1976 for his collection of poems 'Khaak-e-dil'. My father-in-law Kaifi Azmi got the Sahitya Akademi award in 1973 for his collection of poems 'Awara Sajde'. Now it's me," added the prolific writer, who is married to actress Shabana Azmi.

Akhtar can't stop marvelling at the beauty of the coincidence.

"It may be possible for an awardee's father or his father-in-law to win the same award. But for all three to win the same honour seems a bit difficult. I feel honoured that I am the recipient of an award that two such distinguished members of my family have received."

His lower back ailment, which led to his hospitalisation in Delhi, is healing fast.

"I still feel some stiffness in my lower back. But the pain is now gone. God has been kind to me. He has given me so much. I can't be complaining about a few days of pain and immobility," he said.