Jnanpith - India's highest Literary Award

tiganeasca

tiganeasca

Moderator
I'm curious, Jayan: I had always understood the Sahitya Akademi prize to be the "top" award. Is that more a Bengali thing or am I just showing my ignorance?
 
K

kpjayan

Reader
Sahitya Academy gives award in every language. Jnapith is like 'Nobel' , one writer per year, across all the languages. Hence, in the hierarchy of things ( if I may say so), Jnapith is always stands out as the most coveted.
 
K

kpjayan

Reader
Stevie B said:
Do you think this speaks more to how few Indian authors write in English or that there's some bias against those who do?
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Well, it does. While the 'noise-level' is very high around the 'English Writing', I am positively biased towards the vernacular literature, for I find them more realistic of the actual India. The English Writing, barring a few writers, are very 'urbane' and have a fixed audience in mind.
 
K

kpjayan

Reader
This year Jnanpith award is given to Malayalam Poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri .

I had recently met him during my niece's wedding. At 93, he looked tired and had difficulty in walking. He is the most recognized faces of Malayalam Literature and widely respected.

www.newindianexpress.com

Gandhian and champion of love: Malayalam poet Akkitham wins Jnanpith award

“When I shed a drop of tearsoaked in compassion for othersa thousand universes drawn in my heart When I spend a smile from my lipswetted with my love for others
www.newindianexpress.com www.newindianexpress.com
 
A

Americanreader

Well-known member
In looking at worldcat, he doesn’t seem to have anything in English, in US libraries anyway. Are there other jnanpith award winners you would recommend, Jayan?
 
K

kpjayan

Reader
Here is the essential list ( limiting to 11 ) from the 59 awardees.

1. Tarashankar Bandopadhyay ( Bengali ) - Arogyaniketan
2. Kuvempu ( Kannada ) - The House of Kanooru
3. V S Khandekar ( Marathi ) - Yayati
4. Ashapurna Devi -( Bengali ) - First Promise
5. S K Pottekkad ( Malayalam ) - Tales of Athiranippadam
6. Takazhi Sivashankara Pillai ( Malayalam) - Chemmeen, Coir(Kayar)
7. Quratulain Hyder ( Urdu) - River of Fire, Sound of the Falling Leaves
8. U R Ananthamurthy ( Kannada) - Bharathipura, Samskara
9. Nirmal Verma ( Hindi) - Red Tin Roof, The Last Wilderness
10. Indira Goswami ( Assamese) - The Moth Eaten Howda of a Tusker
11. Jayakanthan ( Tamil) - Love and Loss, Rishimoolam
 
tiganeasca

tiganeasca

Moderator
kpjayan said:
Sahitya Academy gives award in every language. Jnapith is like 'Nobel' , one writer per year, across all the languages. Hence, in the hierarchy of things ( if I may say so), Jnapith is always stands out as the most coveted.
Click to expand...
Jayan, in connection with my post elsewhere about Naiyer Masud, I learned about the Saraswati Samman. (Per that unimpeachable source, Wikipedia, it is an "annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary works in any of the 22 languages of India listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India. It is named after an Indian goddess of knowledge and is considered to be among the highest literary awards in India." That makes it sound, to me, like your description of the Jnanpith.
I guess my question is, is Wikipedia right? Which is to say: is it really among the highest literary awards in India? It seems to be given, like the Jnanpith, to a single author in any of the various languages.
 
K

kpjayan

Reader
It is one of the top awards, offered by a private institution ( K K Birla Foundation). Their selection of awardees has been very good so far. However, Jnanpith still carries the higher status ( Saraswathi Samman has larger amount for the winners), as far as the literary awards go. As you said, the criteria of selection as a lot of similarities. Jnanpith is given for their lifetime contribution, but as I understand Saraswati Samman limits to last 10 years of work.
 
K

kpjayan

Reader
kpjayan said:
This year Jnanpith award is given to Malayalam Poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri .

I had recently met him during my niece's wedding. At 93, he looked tired and had difficulty in walking. He is the most recognized faces of Malayalam Literature and widely respected.
Click to expand...

Akkitham, passed away today morning, he was 94. Some of his poetry has been translated and available here. I can say that the original is far far better than this translated attempt.

 
K

kpjayan

Reader
Jnanpith for Year 2020 and 2021 is announced..

"Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr and Konkani novelist Damodar Mauzo received the award for “their outstanding contribution to literature”.

indianexpress.com

Assam poet and Konkani novelist receive Jnanpith Award

Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr and Konkani novelist Damodar Mauzo received the award for “their outstanding contribution to literature”.
indianexpress.com indianexpress.com

I haven't read either of them. Intent to read Damodar Mauzo , soon...
 
Leseratte

Leseratte

Well-known member
kpjayan said:
2016 Jnanpith winner Shanha Ghosh, succumbs to Covid..

indianexpress.com

Bengali poet Shankha Ghosh passes away due to Covid-19 complications

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences on his passing, "His death created a deep void in the society," she said
indianexpress.com indianexpress.com
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"White Tombstones
Sankha Ghosh

That night as I turned homewards,
in the heart of the city
scores and scores of nameless tombstones broke through the mist;

at first they seemed
to be rows and rows of kneeling nuns,---unmoving,
crystallised in prayer;

in the winter breeze
the world trembled guilt-laden to the fragrance
of the eucalyptus;

but then
the mist became a wall,
prayer turned to reproach, of those white stones,

smooth, epitaphless; as
I turned homewards. "

 
K

kpjayan

Reader
A good intro to the world of New Laureates..

indianexpress.com

Explained: Who are Nilmani Phookan Jr and Damodar Mauzo, the winners of Jnanpith Award?

India’s highest literary award, the annual Jnanpith is bestowed on writers for "their outstanding contribution towards literature".
indianexpress.com indianexpress.com

Quote :
Speaking about the Jnanpith Award, Mauzo said, “I am very happy for my language, which suffered at the hands of the colonisers.” He added that it was a dark period for Konkani as the Portuguese barely tolerated Indian languages. It was only after 1961 that Konkani literature was able to find a place in India.
: Unquote
 
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