The Jnanpith Award is a renowned literary award organized by the Bharatiya Jnanpith organization. This award is given to the Indian writers every year and was instituted in the year 1961. The Jnanpith Award winners list is determined by assessing the contribution of personnel in Indian literature written either in Indian languages or English. It is one of the most prestigious awards in the Indian food literature field, given every year. This award is not distributed posthumously; it is awarded to living personalities only.
The first recipient of the Jnanpith Award was G. Sankara Kurup, who won this award for excellent contribution to Malayalam literature. His incredible creation was Odakkuzhal (The Bamboo Flute), which was published in the year 1950.
Jnanpith Award winners list
Initially, the Jnanpith Award used to be given for a single piece of work, but after 1982, the Jnanpith Award is given for lifetime contribution to Indian literature also.
| Year | Name | Language | Notable Works |
| 2015 | Dr. Raghuvir Chaudhari | Gujarati |
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| 2016 | Shanka Ghosh | Bengali |
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| 2017 | Krishna Sobti | Hindi |
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| 2018 | Amitav Ghosh | English |
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| 2019 | Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri | Malayalam |
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| 2021 | Nilamani Phookan | Assamese |
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| 2022 | Damodar Mauzo | Konkani |
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| 2023 | Jagadguru Rambhadracharya | Sanskrit |
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| 2023 | Gulzar | Urdu |
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| 2024 | Vinod Kumar Shukla | Hindi |
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Criteria of selection for the Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is only given to the Indian citizen who has made extensive contributions to Indian literature. The advisory committee is formed every three years for fair selection of the recipients. Eminent scholars and writers are on the selection board for giving recognition to the excellent personalities of literature.
A bronze replica of “Vagdevi” (Hindu Goddess Saraswati) with a cash prize of Rs.11 lakhs has been awarded to every person on the Jnanpith award winners list. From 1965 to 2024, a total of 65 eminent writers have been awarded the Jnanpith Award. Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust instituted this award first in 1961, but the key decision on the selection of the winner solely depends on the board constituted by more than eleven members.
FAQ
In which year was the first Jnanpith Award given?
It was first given in the year 1961.
Who is eligible for this award?
Any Indian citizen who has made an outstanding contribution to Indian literature is eligible for this award.
Who is the final recipient of this award?
Vinod Kumar Shukla is the final recipient of this award. He received this award in the year 2024.
How many awards have been given till now?
A total of 65 Jnanpith awards have been given till now.
Who is the organizer of the Jnanpith Award?
Bharatiya Jnanpith is the organizer of this award.
