Jnanpith Award and Sahitya Akademi Award Winners
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Awards, Honours and International Recognitions · Topic 22.5
The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honour, given by the Bharatiya Jnanpith trust for outstanding literary work in any language of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution or in English. It was instituted in 1961 and first awarded in 1965 to the Malayalam poet G Sankara Kurup. The 60th Jnanpith Award, for 2025, went to the Tamil poet and lyricist R Vairamuthu, announced in March 2026, after Vinod Kumar Shukla received the 59th for 2024. The Sahitya Akademi, set up in 1954 under the Ministry of Culture, gives annual awards in 24 languages, and its 2025 awards were announced on 16 March 2026.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Awards, Honours and International Recognitions
At a Glance
- Jnanpith Instituted 1961, first awarded 1965
- First winner G Sankara Kurup, Malayalam
- 60th Jnanpith (2025) R Vairamuthu, Tamil
- Sahitya Akademi Set up 1954, awards in 24 languages
- Akademi 2025 awards Announced 16 March 2026
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Awards, Honours and International Recognitions
Where Does It Fit?
This topic covers Indian literary recognition. Prelims often asks for the latest Jnanpith winner, the language and the eligibility of English and Eighth Schedule languages. Previous topic: UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscriptions and Intangible Cultural Heritage Listings. Next topic: Gandhi Peace Prize Recipients.
What Are the Jnanpith and Sahitya Akademi Awards?
| Feature | Jnanpith Award and Sahitya Akademi Award |
|---|---|
| Giver | Jnanpith by the Bharatiya Jnanpith trust, founded by the Sahu Jain family. Sahitya Akademi by the National Academy of Letters, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture |
| Languages | Jnanpith for the languages of the Eighth Schedule and English. Sahitya Akademi for 24 languages, which are 22 scheduled languages along with English and Rajasthani |
| Jnanpith award | A scroll, a bronze statue of Saraswati and a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh. It is given for a writer’s total contribution, not a single book |
| Akademi award | A plaque and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, given for a particular book published in the preceding five years |
| Selection | Language advisory committees and a jury, with the final choice by a selection board |
| Fellowship | The Akademi’s Fellowship is its highest honour and is limited to a small number of living writers |
Who Are the Latest Winners?
- 60th Jnanpith, for 2025: R Vairamuthu, the Tamil poet and lyricist, was announced in March 2026, as the third Tamil writer to receive it after Akilan in 1975 and Jayakanthan in 2002
- 59th Jnanpith, for 2024: Vinod Kumar Shukla, the Hindi writer of Naukar Ki Kameez and Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi, announced in March 2025
- 58th Jnanpith, for 2023: Gulzar for Urdu and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya for Sanskrit, announced in February 2024
- 57th Jnanpith, for 2022: Damodar Mauzo, the Konkani writer
- Sahitya Akademi 2025: announced on 16 March 2026 after a delay, with winners that included Navtej Sarna for English (Crimson Spring), Mamta Kalia for Hindi (Jeete Jee Allahabad), Nandini Sidha Reddy for Telugu, Pritpal Singh Betab for Urdu and Sahaisuli Brahma for Bodo, as reported
What Else Should You Remember?
- Early Jnanpith winners: G Sankara Kurup in 1965, Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay in 1966, Kuvempu in 1967 and Amrita Pritam in 1981 are among well-known names
- Counts by language: Hindi has the most Jnanpith awards, followed by Kannada, and the language of each winner is a common Prelims question
- Women winners: Ashapurna Devi in 1976 was the first woman winner, and Mahasweta Devi, Amrita Pritam and Krishna Sobti are other names, as reported
- Delay in 2025: the Sahitya Akademi awards for 2025 were finalised by juries in December 2025 but announced only in March 2026, as reported
- Eighth Schedule: the Constitution lists 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule, which sets the base for eligibility
- Other state literary honours: states and bodies also give literary awards, such as the Saraswati Samman by the K K Birla Foundation, which is given for a work in any Indian language in the previous ten years
- Prize for translation: the Akademi also gives a separate Translation Prize in the same 24 languages each year, and a Yuva Puraskar for young writers and a Bal Sahitya Puraskar for children literature
- Link to other awards: for civilian honours see Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards (Recent Recipients)
- Link to world awards: for global literature see Nobel Prize Winners of the Year (Peace, Economics, Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature)
- Link to translation: for the Indian-origin literary awards abroad see International Booker Prize and Other Literary Recognitions for Indian-Origin Authors
- Criticism: critics point to regional imbalance, long gaps for some languages and political influence in selection, which the bodies deny
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- First winner: G Sankara Kurup in 1965 for Malayalam
- Latest winner: R Vairamuthu, Tamil, 60th award
- Eligibility: Eighth Schedule languages and English for Jnanpith
- Body: Sahitya Akademi under the Ministry of Culture, set up in 1954
- Common errors: mixing up Jnanpith with the Sahitya Akademi, or saying the Akademi award is for lifetime work
As an analytical point, literary awards help writers in smaller languages reach readers beyond their region. Support for translation turns recognition into wider readership.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Latest Recent winners
- Rules Languages and prize
- Bodies Trust versus Akademi
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Gandhi Peace Prize. Next topic: Gandhi Peace Prize Recipients.
Key People and Terms
- Jnanpith Highest literary award
- Akademi National Academy of Letters
- Eighth Schedule List of 22 languages
- Fellowship Akademi’s highest honour
- Award scroll Written statement of the award reason
- Laureate Award winner
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Jnanpith first given: 1965 to G Sankara Kurup.
- 60th Jnanpith (2025): R Vairamuthu.
- 59th Jnanpith (2024): Vinod Kumar Shukla.
- Sahitya Akademi set up: 1954; 24 languages.
- Jnanpith cash prize: Rs 11 lakh.
Do Not Confuse With
- Jnanpith and Sahitya Akademi Trust award for overall work versus Akademi award for a book
- Akademi Award and Fellowship Annual book prize versus highest honour
- Jnanpith and Padma Literary versus civilian honour
Memory Hook
Jnanpith for a life of writing, Akademi for one book.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about regional literature and language policy. These points help.
- Role Promote regional literature
- Gaps Translation and reach
- Way ahead Support for small languages
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the role of literary awards in promoting India’s regional languages.”
How to Answer
- Awards Jnanpith and Akademi.
- Role Recognition and visibility.
- Gaps Translation.
- Way Funding and digital reach.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Jnanpith Award?
The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honour, given by the Bharatiya Jnanpith trust since 1965 for outstanding contribution to literature in an Eighth Schedule language or English. It carries a scroll, a bronze statue of Saraswati and Rs 11 lakh, and the first winner was G Sankara Kurup.
Who won the 60th Jnanpith Award?
R Vairamuthu, the Tamil poet and lyricist, was named for the 60th Jnanpith Award, for 2025, in March 2026. He is the third Tamil writer to receive it, after Akilan in 1975 and Jayakanthan in 2002. The previous award, the 59th, went to Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla.
Who won the 59th Jnanpith Award?
Vinod Kumar Shukla, the Hindi novelist, poet and short story writer, received the 59th Jnanpith Award, for 2024, announced in March 2025. He is known for Naukar Ki Kameez and Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi, and he is the first writer from Chhattisgarh to receive the Jnanpith.
How many languages does the Sahitya Akademi cover?
The Sahitya Akademi gives awards in 24 languages, which are the 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule plus English and Rajasthani. It was set up in 1954 as the National Academy of Letters under the Ministry of Culture, and its annual awards carry a plaque and Rs 1 lakh.
When were the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2025 announced?
The Sahitya Akademi announced its 2025 awards in 24 languages on 16 March 2026, after a delay since December 2025. Winners included Navtej Sarna for English, Mamta Kalia for Hindi, Nandini Sidha Reddy for Telugu and Pritpal Singh Betab for Urdu, as reported. Check the Akademi site for the full list.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The first Jnanpith Award went to G Sankara Kurup.
For Malayalam, in 1965.
2 The Jnanpith Award is given by the Sahitya Akademi.
The Bharatiya Jnanpith trust gives it.
3 English is eligible for the Jnanpith Award.
Along with Eighth Schedule languages.
4 The Sahitya Akademi was set up in 1954.
It is under the Ministry of Culture.
Related Topics
Browse the full Current Affairs & Government Schemes index