The Jnanpith selection committee has announced two popular names for the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award, Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya.
Gulzar is celebrated for his contributions to Hindi cinema and is recognized as one of the finest Urdu poets of our time. He has previously received several awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu in 2002, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013, Padma Bhushan in 2004, and multiple National Film Awards.
Renowned for his musical prowess, some of his notable compositions include the song “Jai Ho” from the movie “Slumdog Millionaire,” which clinched both an Oscar in 2009 and a Grammy in 2010. He has also crafted melodies for critically acclaimed films such as “Maachhis” (1996), “Omkara” (2006), “Dil Se…” (1998), and “Guru” (2007), among others.
Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, is a distinguished Hindu spiritual leader, educator, and author of over 100 books. He was also awarded with Padma Vibhushan award in 2015 by the former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi. Rambhadracharya, fluent in 22 languages, is a versatile poet and writer proficient in various Indian languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Awadhi, and Maithili.
In their statement, the Jnanpith selection committee mentioned, “The award for 2023 will be given to distinguished writers from two languages: Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and renowned Urdu writer Shri Gulzar.” In the previous year, the prestigious award was conferred upon Goan writer Damodar Mauzo.
The Jnanpith Award, instituted in 1944, recognizes outstanding contributions to Indian literature and is awarded annually. This year marks the second occasion of the award being conferred for excellence in Sanskrit and the fifth time for Urdu.
The prestigious award includes a cash prize of Rs 21 lakh, a statue of Vagdevi, and a citation. The recipients were chosen by a selection committee headed by Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Rai.