Eminent Gujarati writer Raghuveer Chaudhary is going to be honored with the 51st Jnanpith Award 2015. He has won this award for his contribution to Indian literature. He is the fourth Gujarati litterateur to bag this prestigious award after Uma Shankar Joshi (1967), Pannalal Patel (1985) and Rajendra Shah (2001). This award carries a cash prize of 11 lakh rupees, a citation plaque and a bronze replica of Saraswati.
About Raghuveer Chaudhary
Born in 1938, Raghuveer Chaudhary occupies a unique place in Gujarati literature. A novelist, poet, critic, a prominent figure on contemporary Gujarati literary scene and a Gandhian, his talent has been influenced by works of Govardhanram Tripathi, Kaka Kalelkar, Suresh Joshi, Prof. Ramdarash Mishra and Prof. G. N. Dickey.
His popular novels include "Amrita", "Venu Vatsala", "Purvarang", "Laagni Samjyaa Vinaa Chuuta Padvanu" and others. While his most-known novel "Amrita" (1965) explores the concept of existentialism, other works like "Rudramahalaya" (1978) and "Somtirth" (1996) are historical fiction. He is a recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel, "Trilogy Uparvaas" in 1977.
About Jnanpith Award
- Jnanpith Award is one of the two most prestegious literary honours of India (other is Sahitya Akademi Award).
- This award was instituted in : 1961
- First Awarded in : 1965 (awarded to G. Sankara Kurup for his Malayalam poetry collection Odakkuzhal)
Winners of last 5 years
- 2011 : Prathibha Ray (Yajnaseni)
- 2012 : Ravuri Bharadhwaja (Paakudurallu)
- 2013 : Kedarnath Singh (Akaal Mein Saras)
- 2014 : Balachandra Nemade (Hindu - Jagnachi Samrudhha Adgal)
- 2015 : Raghuveer Chaudhari (for his contributions to Gujarati literature)
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