Jnanpith Award

Jnanpith Award is a literary award presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith organization to Indian writers every year. This was instituted in 1961 and is given only to Indian writers who write in Indian languages and English.

• Damodar Mauzo, a Goan short story writer, novelist, critic and script writer in Konkani, was awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award in 2022.
• In 2021, Nilamani Phookan, an Indian poet in Assamese language and an academic, was awarded the 56th Jnanpith Award.
• In 2019, Eminent Malayalam poet, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri was chosen for the 55th Jnanpith Award for his outstanding contribution to the Malayalam language and Poetry.
• In 2018, Amitav Ghosh is honored with the 54th Jnanpith Award for his contribution to English Literature and also became the 1st English language writer in the list as all previous winners of the prestigious award have been writers in Indian languages. He was conferred the award by former diplomat and governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who also addressed him as a ‘craftsman’.

About Jnanpith Award

The Jnanpith Award, established in 1961, is the oldest and most prestigious literary accolade in India. It is presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to recognize authors who have made exceptional contributions to literature. This esteemed award is exclusively conferred upon Indian writers who produce works in languages listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, as well as English. It is important to note that the Jnanpith Award is not granted posthumously; it is presented only to living authors.

This is an important topic for the upcoming IAS Exam.

This article is about the Jnanpith Award and will also provide you with the list of Jnanpith Award winners from 1965 to 2023 and other important information related to the same.

List of Jnanpith Award – Jnanpith Award Recipients (1965-2023)

Jnanpith Award was given only for a single piece of work till 1982. After 1982, the Jnanpith honour has been given for lifetime contribution to Indian literature.

The list of recipients of the Jnanpith Award is given below:

** The Jnanpith Award Winner 2023 will be updated as and when it is announced.

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Also, read the difference between Award and Reward on the linked page.

Facts About Jnanpith Award for UPSC

Selection Process For Jnanpith Award

The award nominations are sourced from a wide range of literary experts, teachers, critics, universities, and various literary and language associations. To ensure fair selection, an advisory committee is formed every three years for each language. A notable rule is that the language in which the most recent recipient has written is not eligible for consideration for the subsequent two years.

Each language’s advisory committee is composed of three distinguished literary critics and scholars who specialize in that particular language. The committee carefully examines all the nominations and submits their recommendations to the Jnanpith Award Selection Board.

The Selection Board is comprised of esteemed individuals known for their high reputation and integrity. The board consists of seven to eleven members who serve for a term of three years, with the possibility of extension for two additional terms. To evaluate the recommendations received from the language advisory committees, the board considers complete or partial translations of the selected writings of the proposed authors into Hindi or English.

Ultimately, the Selection Board holds the final authority in the selection process and announces the recipient for a specific year.

List of Jnanpith Award Recipients – 1965 to 2023:- Download PDF Here

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