Vitas Areška – literary researcher and critic.
Was born on 6 January, 1927 in Zyboliai, Rokiškis district.
After he graduated from Vilnius Pedagogical Institute (now Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences) he was working as a lecturer there for almost twenty years (1952 – 1971). From 1959 till 1963 he was a head of Lithuanian and Foreign Literature Department and from 1968 till 1971 – a dean of the Faculty of Philology. From 1971 to 1991 (with breaks) he was a head of Lithuanian Literature Department at Vilnius University. He became a professor in 1987. He gave lectures at Vilnius University from 1971 till 1993. He is a professor and a doctor of philology. He has published numerous articles and reviews in cultural press alone and as a co-author.
A member of Lithuanian Writers’ Union since 1971.

B i b l i o g r a p h y :
Tradicija ir ieškojimai: literary critics. – Vilnius: Vaga, 1973.
Salomėja Nėris: monography. – Kaunas: Šviesa, 1974, 1981.
Naujosios lietuvių lyrikos bruožai: medžiaga lektoriui. – Vilnius: Lietuvos TSR „Žinijos“ draugija, 1975.
Tikslas – komunistinis asmenybės auklėjimas: medžiaga lektoriui. – Vilnius: Žinija, 1976.
Teofilis Tilvytis: the life and work of. – Kaunas: Šviesa, 1977, 1988.
Lietuvių tarybinė lyrika: system of the genre. – Vilnius: Vaga, 1983.
Eduardas Mieželaitis: monography. – Kaunas: Šviesa, 1984.
Kumelė vardu Emilja: contemplations. – Vilnius: Lietuvos rašytojų sąjungos leidykla, 2007.

D r e w   u p :
Amžininkas literatūroje: collection of articles. – Vilnius: Vaga, 1988.

A w a r d s :
1977 An honourable name of an artist of Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.
1987 A honorific scroll of Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR.
2011 Literary Juozas Keliuotis award for publications about A. and J. Keliuočiai brothers and the importance of their work for Lithuanian culture.