In News:

Renowned Tamil lyricist and author R. Vairamuthu has been selected for the Jnanpith Award 2025, becoming the third Tamil writer to receive this prestigious honour.

About the Jnanpith Award

The Jnanpith Award is regarded as the highest literary honour in India, recognizing exceptional contributions to Indian literature.

• Institution: Established in 1961 by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, a cultural and literary organization.
• First Awarded: 1965
• First Recipient: Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup for Odakkuzhal.
• Objective: To honour writers for their outstanding contribution to literature across Indian languages.

Components of the Award

• Cash prize of ?11 lakh
• Bronze statuette of Vagdevi (Saraswati)
• Citation

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

• Awarded annually to Indian citizens for creative writing.
• Eligible languages include those listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and English.
• Only living authors are considered.
• A recipient can receive the award only once.
• The same language is not eligible for consideration for the next two years after receiving the award.
• The Selection Board may withhold the award if no candidate meets the required standard.

R. Vairamuthu and Significance of the Award

• R. Vairamuthu is a prominent Tamil poet, lyricist, and novelist known for his contributions to modern Tamil literature and cinema.
• His selection marks:
  • Continued recognition of regional language literature
  • Strengthening of Tamil literary prominence at the national level
  • Reinforcement of India’s linguistic and cultural diversity

In News:

Recently, the President of India, presented the 58thJnanpith Award to renowned Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Ji at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. She also extended congratulations to celebrated writer Gulzar, a fellow recipient who could not attend due to health reasons.

About Jagadguru Rambhadracharya

• A prominent Sanskrit scholar, spiritual leader, poet, and educationist.
• Despite being visually challenged, he has made significant literary and social contributions.
• Recognized for his multi-faceted excellence in Sanskrit literature and devotion to nation-building through literary and cultural service.

Highlights from the President’s Address

• Emphasized that literature unites and awakens society, playing a key role in movements from 19th-century social reform to the freedom struggle.
• Referenced the literary legacy of figures like Valmiki, Vyas, Kalidas, and Rabindranath Tagore as embodiments of India’s civilizational essence.
• Praised the BharatiyaJnanpith Trust for honoring literary excellence since 1965 across various Indian languages.
• Celebrated the contributions of women Jnanpith awardees such as Ashapurna Devi, Amrita Pritam, Mahasweta Devi, and Pratibha Ray, urging young women to draw inspiration from their works.

About the Jnanpith Award

Feature                                           Details

Established                                  1961

First Awarded                             1965 to Malayalam poet G. SankaraKurup for Odakkuzhal

OrganisedBy                                BharatiyaJnanpith, a literary and cultural organization founded in 1944

Eligibility                                         Indian citizens writing in Schedule VIII languages of the Constitution or

                                                   in English

Award Components              Cash prize, citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi (Saraswati)

Nature                                              Annual, but may be withheld if no suitable candidate is found

One-Time Recognition        A writer can receive the award only once

Language Rotation Rule     A language that has received the award is ineligible for the next two years