Poet-lyricist Gulzar, Sanskrit scholar Rambhadracharya honoured with Jnanpith Award for 2023

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday conferred the 58th Jnanpith Award to renowned poet-lyricist Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya for 2023.

Sampooran Singh Kalra, popularly known as Gulzar, is celebrated for his works in Hindi cinema and considered one of the finest Urdu poets of this era. The poet-lyricist was not able to attend the ceremony due to health-related issues.

Rambhadracharya (75), the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, educator and writer of over 240 books and texts, including four epics. The Sanskrit scholar was given a citation plaque, a cash prize and a bronze replica of Vagdevi Saraswati.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the President commended Rambhadracharya's "multi-faceted contributions" to Sanskrit literature and society.

"Rambhadracharya ji has set an inspiring example of excellence. You are endowed with many talents and your contributions are multi-faceted. Despite being physically challenged, you have rendered extraordinary service to literature and society with your insight, or rather divine sight. You are an impromptu poet. The Sanskrit literature written by you is both plentiful and excellent. You are an extraordinary worshipper of the divine language. You have a special place among the best interpreters of Indian traditions," Murmu said.

She credited him for his interpretation of Panini's "Ashtadhyayi" as well as commentaries on "Brahmasutra", "Bhagvad Gita" and major Upanishads.

The President also congratulated 90-year-old Gulzar and wished for his full recovery. "I send him my best wishes that he becomes fully healthy and active soon and continues to contribute to art, literature, society and the country.

"Gulzar sahab has kept alive his devotion towards literary creation for decades. It can be said that Gulzar sahab is a writer who has established tenderness amidst harshness. People active in these fields should take inspiration and learning from his art and literary pursuits," she said.

According to the citation, Rambhadracharya "absorbed, read, and sang the great teachings that many find difficult to grasp, read, or articulate".

"At the age of five, he started delving into the Bhagavad Gita and at the age of seven, he began studying the Ramacharitmanas under the guidance of revered teachers. His comprehensive understanding of language and proficiency in all examinations in Sansknit earned him gold medals in university studies. This led many scholars and teachers to recognise his profound intellect and creative potential," it read.

The citation for Gulzar commended him for his "outstanding contribution to Indian literature and the world of Urdu writing".

"Gulzar can be credited with creating a new genre of poetry called Triveni where two lines meet, like Ganga and Yamuna. Like the Saraswati, hidden but quietly flowing beneath the surface of the first two lines, is a third line which completes the thought.

"In Urdu poetry, Gulzar is responsible for bringing a new kind of idiom and vocabulary that was not seen in Urdu poetry, not even in contemporary Urdu poetry. His poetry is a reflection of the world we live in," the text read.

Instituted in 1961 by Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain and Rama Jain, the Bharatiya Jnanpith award has been given to noted litterateurs of Indian languages, including Firaq Gorakhpuri, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', Ashapoorna Devi, Mahadevi Varma, Girish Karnad, Nirmal Verma, and Damodar Mauzo.

Hindi author Vinod Kumar Shukla has been named the recipient of the 59th Jnanpith Award for the year 2024.