Desai ended her very humble acceptance speech with a plea on the behalf of fiction, her medium. She also thanked the Akademi for embracing the genre:
"Fiction has always had a somewhat suspect, somewhat lightweight reputation. It is what weak-minded readers indulge in at airports, on trains, even in bed. It bears too close a relationship to relaxation and entertainment, to pleasure, in short... But by arguing that it can and does produce work of serious import, of relevance, of gravitas, the Sahitya Akademi has helped to give it dignity. I should like to take this moment to acknowledge that it has not come by it so easily, or lightly, but it has, and that is what makes me doubly grateful."
Before and after Desai's brief acceptance, four eminent Indian academicians spoke about the newly anointed Fellow.
Gopi Chand Narang, president of Sahitya Akademi, described the event as a historic, landmark moment.
Jasbir Jain, author, professor of English at University of Rajasthan, detailed Anita's numerous contributions to both the novel as a form and to Indian-English as a genre.
Keki N Daruwala, noted poet and literary critic, read passages from Desai's works, noting her poetical prose and ability to toy with various effects.
Sumanyu Satpathy, professor of English, Delhi University, expressed his conviction that Anita Desai stands as one of the 20th century's finest novelist.
Also read: From book to film -- such an unpredictable journey 
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