Source: PIB
Context: President of India presented the 58th Jnanpith Award to Jagadguru Rambhadracharya (Sanskrit) in New Delhi.
- Renowned poet Gulzar (Urdu poet) also received the award but could not attend due to health reasons.
About Jnanpith Award:
- What is the Jnanpith Award?
- India’s highest literary honour, awarded annually for outstanding contribution to Indian literature.
- Established in: 1961 by the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust, founded by industrialist Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain.
- Objective: To honour literary excellence in Indian languages and promote the cultural and intellectual heritage of India.
- Historical Background:
- Idea conceived on Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain’s 50th birthday (22 May 1961).
- First award conferred in 1965.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Only Indian citizens are eligible.
- The award is open to all Indian languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, and English. (from the 49th award).
- A language becomes ineligible for 3 years once awarded.
- Selection Process:
- Proposals Invited: From universities, literary bodies, critics, and readers across the country.
- Language Advisory Committees (LACs):
- Each language has a 3-member committee of literary experts.
- LACs are reconstituted every 3 years.
- Free to consider names beyond submitted proposals.
- Evaluation Criteria:
- Comprehensive assessment of an author’s entire literary contribution.
- Must reflect contemporary relevance and cultural impact.
- Selection Board:
- Comprises 7 to 11 eminent scholars of high integrity.
- Recommendations from LACs are reviewed for final decision.
- Award Details:
- Award Components:
- Cash prize (currently ₹11 lakh),
- Citation and plaque.
- Earlier awarded for a specific work (first 17 awards); now recognizes overall literary contribution.
- Award Components:
