Noted Tamil poet and lyricist R. Vairamuthu was on Monday conferred the 60th Jnanpith Award for the year 2025.
He is the third Tamil literary figure to receive the award, after a gap of 24 years. Earlier recipients include the late writers Akilan and Jayakanthan. Mr. Vairamuthu won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2003 for Kallikattu Ithikasam.
The award was presented by politician and scholar Karan Singh at a ceremony in the National Capital in the presence of literary personalities from across the country. As part of the honour, Mr Vairamuthu received a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a bronze statue of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati) and a citation.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Singh stressed on the continuing relevance of literature in the age of science and technology and urged younger generations to forge a deeper connection with Indian languages and literary traditions.
Mr Vairamuthu on his part dedicated the honour to the Tamil language and the wider fraternity of Indian literature. He described literature as a source of hope, compassion and moral strength, and said the recognition would encourage him to continue his creative pursuits.
Established in 1944, Bharatiya Jnanpith is dedicated to the promotion of Indian languages, literature and cultural heritage. Instituted in 1961, the Jnanpith Award is conferred for outstanding lifetime contribution to literature in any of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. According to Bharatiya Jnanpith, 66 distinguished authors have been honoured with the award over the past six decades.
Among those present at the ceremony were Bharatiya Jnanpith Trustee Mudit Jain, Managing Trustee Sahu Akhilesh Jain, Jnanpith Award Selection Committee Chairperson Pratibha Ray, and Bharatiya Jnanpith General Manager R.N. Tewari, along with writers, academics and literature enthusiasts.
Published – July 13, 2026 09:26 pm IST
