Gulzar to be conferred with the 58th Jnanpith Award for 2023

In a remarkable achievement, Bharatiya Jnanpith announced today that famous Indian lyricist Gulzar will be conferred with the 58th Jnanpith Award for the year 2023 for his contribution towards Urdu literature. Besides Gulzar, famous Hindu spiritual leader Jagatguru Shri Rambhadracharya will also be receiving the award for his contribution towards Sanskrit literature.

Why will Gulzar be conferred with such a prestigious award?

The Selection Committee for the Jnanpith Award announced the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award for the year 2023, as per a press statement. This year, it has been decided to honor two distinguished writers: Jagatguru Shri Rambhadracharya for Sanskrit and the renowned lyricist Gulzar for Urdu.

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Sampooran Singh Kalra, born in 1934, better known as Gulzar, is a prominent Hindi film lyricist. Additionally, he is acclaimed as a poet, screenwriter, film director, playwright, and renowned poet. His works predominantly span Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi languages. Gulzar received the Sahitya Academy Award in 2002 and the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award presented by the Government of India, in 2004. 

In 2009, he won the Oscar Award for Best Song for "Jai Ho," featured in the film "Slumdog Millionaire" directed by Danny Boyle, and was honored with a Grammy Award for the same song. Throughout his extensive career in cinema, Gulzar has continued to innovate in the realm of literature. He introduced the "Triveni" genre in poetry, a non-mukaffa poem consisting of three lines. Gulzar's poetic endeavors have always brought forth innovation, and he has recently focused on creating meaningful children's poetry.

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About Bharatiya Jnanpith

It's worth noting that since its establishment in 1944, the Bharatiya Jnanpith has been annually conferring this award for outstanding contributions to Indian literature. This marks the second time the award is bestowed for Sanskrit literature and the fifth time for Urdu literature. The prestigious Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honor in the country, includes a prize of Rs 11 lakh, a Vagdevi statue, and a citation.

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