Jnanpith Award 2023:
The Jnanpith selection committee announced that the 58th Jnanpith Award will be given to two writers, Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and Urdu poet and lyricist Gulzar, for 2023.
Gulzar:
- Gulzar (Sampuran Singh Kalra) was born on 18th August 1934, in the village of Dina, Jhelum district of undivided India.
- He is one of the most respected names not just in cinema but also in literary circles. He is considered one of the finest Urdu poets of his era.
- Gulzar received the Sahitya Akademi Award (2002) for Urdu, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2013), the Padma Bhushan (2004), and the National Film Awards for his works.
Jagadguru Rambhadracharya:
- Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, is a polyglot, Hindu spiritual leader, educator, poet and writer. He was born in 1950 in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh and speaks 22 languages.
- Rambhadracharya is a poet and writer in several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Awadhi, and Maithili.
- He has written more than 240 books and texts in various Indian languages and received the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
- Arundhatī, Aṣṭāvakra, Avadha Kai Ajoriya and Dashavtar are some of the literary works composed by Rambhadracharya.
- He is the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh
Jnanpith Award:
- The Jnanpith Award is India’s oldest and highest literary award.
- It’s given annually to an author for their “outstanding contribution towards literature”.
- The award was established in 1961 and first awarded in 1965.
- The Award considers both English and other Indian languages. However, eligibility is restricted to Indian citizens. It is not given posthumously.
- It is presented by Bharatiya Jnanpith to recognize outstanding contributions to Indian literature.
- Bharatiya Jnanpith, established in 1944 by Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain and his wife Rama Jain, is a prestigious literary and research organization headquartered in New Delhi, India.
- Awardees receive a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a statue of Vagdevi, and a citation, honouring their literary achievements.
