Kuvempu Award 2020 | 02 Jul 2021

Why in News

Recently, Odia poet Dr. Rajendra Kishore Panda has been selected for the Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar (award) 2020.

  • Dr. Panda, born in 1944, is a poet and novelist from Odisha. He has published 16 poetry collections and a novel.
  • He was presented the Gangadhar National Award in 2010, and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985.

Key Points

  • About:
    • It is a national award instituted in memory of the late poet laureate Kuvempu.
    • The award is given annually to a writer who has contributed in any of the languages recognised by the Constitution of India.
    • The award carries a cash award of Rs. 5 lakh, a silver medal and a citation.
  • Kuvempu:
    • Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa, popularly known by his pen name Kuvempu, was an Indian poet, playwright, novelist and critic.
    • He is widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century.
    • He was the first Kannada writer to be decorated with the Jnanpith Award for his version of the Ramayana titled ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam.’

Jnanpith Award

  • The Jnanpith award is the highest literary award in India and can only be conferred annually upon an Indian citizen.
  • English along with other languages mentioned in Indian Constitution (8th Schedule) is considered for the Award.
  • The prize carries a cash award of Rs. 11 lakhs, a citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi (Saraswati), the goddess of learning.
  • It is sponsored by the cultural organization Bharatiya Jnanpith.

Sahitya Akademi Awards

  • Sahitya Akademi award established in 1954, is a literary honour that is conferred annually by Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of letters.
  • Akademi gives 24 awards annually to literary works in the languages it has recognized and an equal number of awards to literary translations from and into the languages of India.
  • Besides the 22 languages enumerated in the Constitution of India, the Sahitya Akademi has recognised English and Rajasthani as languages in which its programme may be implemented.
  • The Sahitya Akademi award is the second-highest literary honour by the Government of India, after the Jnanpith award.

Gangadhar National Award

  • Gangadhar National Award For Poetry is a literary award given in the field of literature for poetry by Sambalpur University. It is named after Gangadhar Meher.
  • The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a shawl and citation.

Source: TH