Vinod Kumar Shukla Receives 59th Jnanpith Award, First from Chhattisgarh

Eminent Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla was named the recipient of the 59th Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour, on Saturday. At 88 years old, Shukla becomes the first writer from Chhattisgarh to receive this prestigious award.

The renowned short story writer, poet, and essayist, celebrated for his distinctive writing style and emotional depth, is the 12th Hindi writer to win the Jnanpith Award. The honour includes a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a bronze statue of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, and a citation.

The decision was made by the Jnanpith Selection Committee, which met under the chairmanship of renowned storyteller and Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Ray. The committee praised Shukla for his “outstanding contribution to Hindi literature, creativity, and distinctive writing style.”

Other members of the selection committee included Madhav Kaushik, Damodar Mauzo, Prabha Varma, Anamika, A Krishna Rao, Prafful Shiledar, Janki Prasad Sharma, and Jnanpith director Madhusudan Anand.

Shukla’s notable works include “Naukar ki Kameez” (1979), a novel that was adapted into a film by Mani Kaul, and the poetry collection “Sab Kuch Hona Bacha Rahega” (1992). In 1999, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his book Deewar Mein Ek Khirkee Rahati Thi.

The Jnanpith Award, established in 1961, is given only to Indian authors and was first presented in 1965 to Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup for his anthology Odakkuzhal.