The Jnanpith Selection Committee announced that the 58th Jnanpith Award will be presented to two luminaries this year – renowned Urdu poet and lyricist Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, a distinguished Sanskrit scholar.
Highlights
- Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya have been chosen for the prestigious literary award in recognition of their stellar contributions enriching Indian literature.
- This is the second instance of the Jnanpith Award being bestowed upon a Sanskrit recipient and the fifth time for an Urdu laureate.
- The duo will be felicitated with the honor at a special ceremony likely to be held in the last quarter of 2023.
Gulzar – The Maverick of Creative Expression
Background and Notable Works
- Born Sampooran Singh Kalra in 1934 in Jhelum district (undivided India), Gulzar is an acclaimed poet, author, lyricist, screenwriter, dialogue writer, and film director.
- He has over half a century of experience across the Indian entertainment landscape and is regarded as one of the finest Urdu poets of his times.
- Gulzar has garnered wide recognition for his literary oeuvre ranging from songs, ghazals, novels, short stories to essays.
- His repertoire of cinematic work spans over 40 films as a lyricist and over 20 as a director.
Some Renowned Compositions
- Song: “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire) – won Oscar and Grammy Awards
- Lyrics and Screenplay: Aandhi, Mausam, Ijaazat, Libaas
- TV Series: Mirza Ghalib
- Books:..I Met Them: A Memoir, Two, Half a Rupee: Stories, Raavi Paar
Awards and Honors
- Jnanpith Award: 2023
- Padma Bhushan: 2004
- Sahitya Akademi Award: 2002
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award: 2013
Contribution as a lyrical bard is unparalleled, with a creative range spanning soulful poetry to peppy numbers, encapsulating varied moods and themes.
Jagadguru Rambhadracharya – The Learned Guru of Literature
Background and Notable Works
- Born in 1950 in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya is a Hindu spiritual leader revered for his literary corpus and polyglot prowess.
- He is proficient in 22 languages and continues to be an erudite contributor across multiple Indian languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, and Maithili.
Some Acclaimed Compositions
- Verse Drama: Sita Swayamvar
- Epic Poems: Arundhati, Astavakragita, Dashavtar Philosophical Texts on Puranas and Vedanta
Esteemed Lineage and Legacy
- Rambhadracharya inherited the lineage of Ramananda Sampradaya’s Jagadguru (world teacher) in 1982.
- He established Tulsi Peetham, a prominent institution advancing Hindu philosophy and religion through publications and spiritual discourses.
Awards and Honors
- Padma Vibhushan: 2015
- Jnanpith Award: 2023
A guiding light kindling spirituality through philosophical works and preserving ancient Indian wisdom through scholarly texts.
Key Facts About Jnanpith Award
| Parameter | Description |
| Year Instituted | 1961 |
| Presented By | Bharatiya Jnanpith |
| Prize Corpus | INR 11 Lakh |
| First Awardee | G. Sankara Kurup (1965) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Languages Considered | English + All Official Indian Languages |
| Posthumous Conferral | Not Awarded |
| Total Recipients Till Date | 57 |
Salient Aspects of Coveted Accolade
- Annual literary award instituted in 1961 to recognize luminaries for their pathbreaking contributions enhancing Indian literature.
- Cash prize of INR 11 lakh, a statuette of Goddess Saraswati, and citation plaque presented to recipients at award function.
- Literary organization Bharatiya Jnanpith confers the award after selection by an eminent panel.
- Considered the most prestigious literature award within the country on par with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship.
- Previous eminent recipients include Amrita Pritam, Mahaswetta Devi, U.R. Ananthamurthy, and Girish Karnad among other doyens of Indian literature.
- Gulzar is the 5th Urdu recipient while Rambhadracharya is only the 2nd person to be honored for Sanskrit.
Glimpse of Projected Laureates for 2024
Speculative preferences for the 2024 Jnanpith pick from the literati circle include household names like –
- Damodar Mauzo: Globally famed writer in Konkani language and Sahitya Akademi Award winner
- Arundhati Subramaniam: Renowned poet and author with an oeuvre of over 5 poetry collections
- Raghuveer Chaudhari: Prolific Gujrati author, critic and columnist honored with Sahitya Akademi Award
- Sitanshu Yashaschandra: Poet, playwright and academician with substantial contribution in Gujarati
- Krishna Sobti: One of the foremost Hindi fiction writers and Sahitya Akademi awardee
Their potential selection for the 2024 Jnanpith Award is predicated on their corpus of critically acclaimed publications, years of literary experience, and contribution in enriching Indian language literature.
- The Jnanpith Award continues its legacy as India’s most prestigious literary honor by celebrating the works of maestros like Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya whose intellectual prowess has profoundly influenced the country’s literary landscape.
- Their award sets the stage for the 2024 Jnanpith which could feature legends nurturing regional language literature to foreground India’s vibrant cultural heritage beyond boundaries.
