Jnanpith Award

In News 

  • Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr won the 56th Jnanpith Award and Konkani novelist Damodar Mauzo won the 57th Jnanpith Award.

About Jnanpith Award

  • It is the highest literary award in India and is given annually for the best creative literary writing to writers in any of the 22 “scheduled languages” recognized in the Indian Constitution. 
  • It is sponsored by the cultural organization Bharatiya Jnanpith.
  • It was instituted in 1961, and the first award was given in 1965. 
  • The prize carries a cash award, a citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi (Saraswati), the goddess of learning. 

Another Literary Award 

  • The Sahitya Akademi award established in 1954, is a literary honour.
    • It is conferred by Sahitya Akademi which is India’s National Academy of Letters.
    • The Sahitya Akademi Award prizes the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the major Indian languages recognised by the Akademi.

Source: IE