The
Jnanpeeth Award is given for the best creative literary writing
by any Indian citizens in any of the languages included in the
VIII Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The award carries
a cash price of Rs 2.5 lakh, a citation and a bronze replica
of Vagdevi.
The
Jnanpeeth Award was instituted on May 22, 1961 The first award
was given in 1965. So far, 34 eminent writers have received
the award in 32 years. The award was given to Kannada writers
six times, five times each to Hindi and Bengali writers, four
times to Malayalam, thrice to Oriya, twice each to Gujarati,
Marathi, Telugu and Urdu, and one each to Assamese, Punjabi
and Tamil writers.
Dr
K V Puttappa for Sri Ramayana Darshanam 1967
Kuvempu
(1904-1994): Puttapa also known as Kuvempu is perhaps the greatest
poet of the 20th century. His first novel Kanooru Heggadithi
(The Mistress of the Kanoor Family) appeared in 1938. His second
novel Malegalalli Madulagalu (A Bride Among the Hills) is noted
for its epic narration. Kuvempu is also known for his grand
epic Sri Ramayana Darshanam. His other works include a poetic
play Beral-ge-Koral (A Throat for a Finger).
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
kavana
sankalana - paKshi kaashi, koLalu, paanchajanya, chandra manchake
ba chakori
nataka - raktha raathri, shudra thapasvi, beraL ge koraL
vimarshe - thaponandana, draupadiya shri mudi
jeevana charithre - swamy vivekananda, ramakrishna paramahamsa
kaTha sankalana - sanyasi mathu ethra kathegalu
anuvaada - guruvinoDane devaraDige
kaadambari - malegaLalli madumagalu, kaanooru heggaDithi
maha kaavya - sri ramayana darshanam
Prashasthigalu
39th
sahitya sammeLanada adhyaksharu
1955 sri ramayana darshanamge raajya haagu kendra sahitya prashasthi
1958 padma viBhushaNa
1964 rashtrakavi birudu
1967 sri ramayana darshanam kruthige jnanapeeta prashasthi
1988 pampa prashasthi
karnataka ratna
Dattatreya
Ramachandran Bendre for Nakutanti 1973
D.R.
Bendre (1896-1981): Bendre has been hailed as the father figure
of modern Kannada poetry. His poems are linked to the Kannada
poetic tradition through their use of folklore, the vachanas
and the kirthanas. Apart from native prosodic forms, Bendre
has also employed native imagery, folk beliefs, references to
Indian mythology and the language spoken by common people. Nada
Lila (The Play of Sounds) is perhaps the most remarkable of
his poetry collections.. All the features of Navodaya poetry
like the feeling of patriotism, the reformatory zeal, critical
attitude Indian culture, consolidation of traditional strength,
mystical faith and assertion of a poet's individuality can be
found in this collection.
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
kavana
sankalana - krishna kumari, gari, saKigeetha, uyyale, haadu
paadu, gangaavatharaNa, naadlile, araLu maraLu, hrudaya samudra,
muktha kanTa, chaithralaya, jeevalahari, namana, sanchaya, uttaraayaNa,
mugila mallige, yaKsha yakshi, naakutanti, mathe banthu shravaNa
nataka - saayo Ata, jaathre, devvada mane, hosa samsara
leKana sankalana - sahitya viraat swarupa
BhashaNa - maathela jyothi, mathadharma mathu ADunika maanava
Prashasthigalu
birudu
- varakavi, haaduhakki .. ethyadi
27th sahitya sammeLanada adhyaksharu
1959 - araLu maraLu - kendra sahitya academy prashasthi
1968 - padmashree
1968 - mysore viviya doctrate
1969 - kendra sahitya academy ya gowrava fellowship
1973 - naakutanti ge jnanapeeta prashasthi
1979 - udupi maTada "karnataka kavi kulathilaka" birudu
K
Shivaram Karanth for Mukajjiya Kanasugalu 1977
K.
Shivarama Karanath (1902): Karanath is a compelling cultural
presence in Karnataka. He is a typical 'renaissance man' with
multifaceted interests and achievements in education, science,
environmental studies and the folk art of Yakshagana. Described
as an all-time novelist, Karnath is the originator of the realist
novel in Kannada. Known for his integrity, Karnath disowned
the Padma Bushan award in protest against the Emergency in 1975.
Marali Mannige (Back to the Soil) is one of his great novels
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
evugalu
avara nataka, kavithe, sNNa kathe, kaadambari, vimarshe, vignanika
baraha, pravaasa kaThanagalu - chitramaya dakShina kannada,
Bharathiya shilpa, apoorva pashchima, yakShagaana bayalaata,
siriganada arThakosha, hucchhu manasina hathu muKa, vignana
prapancha, rastrageetha suDharaka, niLgavanagalu.
kaadambari
- mymanagaLa suLiyalli, mukajjiya kanasugalu, aLida mele, bettada
jeeva, kannadiyalli kandaatha, marali mannige.
Prashasthigalu
57th
sahitya sammeLanada adhyaksharu
padma BhuShaNa (disowned the award to protest against the Emergency)
1959 - kendra sahitya academy prashasthi - yakShagaana bayalaata
Swedish academy paarithoShaka - yakShagaana bayalaata
1963 - karnataka haagu mysore vivigaLa gowrava doctrate
1977 - mukajjiya kanasugalu ge jnanapeeta prashasthi
MadhyaPradeshda thulasi sanmaan
1990 - pampa prashasthi - mymanagaLa suLiyalli
1992 - Indira gandhi vruSha mithra prashasthi
Masti
Venkatesh Ayengar for Chikaveera Rajendra 1983
Masti
Venkatesha Iyengar (1891-1986): Masti Iyengar, who received
the Jnanpith Award in 1983, belonged to the generation which
shaped the Renaisance in Kannada. Poet, dramatist and critic,
he is regarded as the father of the Kannada short story. Both
his historical novels, Channabasava Nayaka and Chikaveera Rajendra
are great works. His novels are a study of a kingdom in decline.
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
kaadambari
- chenna basava nayaka, chikaveera rajendra, subbaNNa
nataka - kaakanakote, yashoDara, kaalidasa, siva Chatrapathi
Athma kaThana - Bhava
kavana sankalana - binnaha, thavare
Kandakavya - srirama pattabisheka
Prashasthigalu
1983
- chikaveera rajendra ge jnanapeeta
Vinayak
Krishna Gokak for Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi 1990
Vinayaka
Krishna Gokak (1909-1992) the fifth person to win the Jnanpith
award from Karnataka, was born on August 9, 1909.
The
main phase of his literary career and his life itself began
in 1925 when he was swayed by the magnetic force of the towering
figure of Kannada poetry D.R.Bendre, like many other young poets
of his time. Seeing his knowledge of English literature, and
his talents in English poetry, Bendre prophesied "if Gokak
allows his talents to blossom in Kannada, his own poetry as
well as Kannada will have a great future." Thus with Bendre
as his Kavya Guru, Gokak embarked upon a unique career in the
world of Kannada letters, a career in which he made unparallelled
contributions to poetry (including composition of the epic Bharatha
Sindhurashmi), drama, criticism and various other forms of literature,
apart from producing many scholarly works in English.
The
literary distinction of Gokak naturally attracted scores of
awards and honours. Of these, mention must be made of his Presidentship
of the 40th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in 1958, honorary doctorates
from the Karnatak University and the Pacific University of the
USA, the 1961 Central Sahitya Akademi award for his 'Dyava Prithivi'
and of course, the highest award for literary excellence in
India-the Jnanpith award-for his monumental contributions to
Kannada literature, in 1990.
Gokak
saw not only peaks of glory but also a peculiar complexity of
happiness and sorrow at many turning points of his life, a complexity
that became a characteristic mark of all his works. He passed
away on April 28, 1992.
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
kavana
sankalana - oorNanaaBa, aByudaya, baaLadeguladalli, dhyava pruthvi,
samudra geethegaLu
kaadambari - samarasave jeevana
vimarshe - endina kannada kavyada gothu gurigaLu
mahakavya - Bharatha sinDhu rashmi
Prashasthigalu
40th
sahitya sammeLanada adhyaksharu in 1958
karnataka viviya haagu Pacific University (USA) gowrava doctrate
kendra sahitya academy prashasthi - dhyava pruthvi
1990 - jnanapeeta prashasthi (samagra sahitya)
Dr.Udupi
Rajagopala Acharya Anantha Murthy 1994
U.R
Ananthamurthy (1932): Ananthamurthy is prominent among modern
Kannada writers. His novel Samskara (Funeral Rites) revolutionised
the orthodox concepts of a community in Karnataka and the film
based on the novel won the President's Gold medal. His other
novel Bharatiputra has also become a classic as has Samskara.
After
doing his post graduation in English literature he went to England
for higher studies. He joined the University of Mysore in 1970
as a lecturer and later on became a Professor. He has shouldered
many important responsibilities and handled assignments. He
has served as the Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University
at Kottayam, Kerala. He also served as the Chairman of the National
Book Trust and as the Chairman of the Kendra Sahitya Academy.
Anantha
Murthy is not only a well known author but also an orator. He
has traveled widely around the globe and has the honour of being
a visiting Professor of many Universities in India and abroad.
He has served on many important committees as Member and Chairman.
He has interviewed many celebrities for television and documentaries.
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
kaadambari
- samskara, Bharathipura, avasthe, Bhava, divya
kaTha sangraha - Akasha mathu bekku, mauni, prashne
nataka - avahane
vimarshe - prajne mathu parisara, samakshama, poorvapara
kavana sankalana - ajjana hegala sukkugalu, mithuna, hadhinydu
padyagalu
Prashasthigalu
1983
- Fiction Award, Karnataka Sahitya Academy
1984 - Award for Literary Achievement, Karnataka Sahitya Academy
1994 - masti prashasthi
1994 - jnanapeeta prashasthi (samagra sahitya)
1998 - padma BhuShNa
Girish
Karnad 1998
Girish
Karnad (1938): Karnad has been recognized as one of the foremost
playwrights of India. It was Tughlaq, his second play which
established his eminence. Drawing his themes largely from mythology,
history, folklore and legends his plays have added a new dimension
to the Indian stage and also literature at large. His other
plays are Hayavadana, Yayati, Nagamandala and Raktabeeja.
For
five decades, Karnad has continued to compose top-notch plays,
often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary themes.
He has also forayed into the jungle of cinema, working alternately
as an actor, director, and screenwriter, and earning numerous
awards along the way.
He
was a Fulbright Playwright-in Residence and Visiting Professor
at the University of Chicago in 1987-88. He has been decorated
with a Padma Bhushan by the President of India and was the Chairman
of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of the Performing
Arts during 1988-93
Ayda
kruthi shreNi
nataka
- yayati, tuGhalak, anjumallige, hittina hunja, nagamanDala,
taledanDa, agni mathu aale, Tippuvina Kannasugalu
cinema - samskara, vamsha vriksha, kadu, tabbaliyu ninade magne,
ondaanondu kaladalli, utsav, goDhoLi, kanooru heggadithi
Prashasthigalu
1974
- padmashri
1992 - padma BhuShaNa
1994 - rajyothsava prashasthi
tuGhalak - rajya prashasthi
yayati - rajya sahitya academy prashasthi
taledanDa - kendra sahitya academy prashasthi
samskara, vamsha vriksha, kadu mathu kanooru heggadithi e Chalanachitragalige
- swarNa kamala
karnataka viviya gowrava doctrate
1998 - jnanapeeta prashasthi (samagra sahitya)
