President Confers the 49th Jnanpith Award

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferred the 49th Jnanpith Award on the eminent Hindi poet, Shri Kedarnath Singh today (November 10, 2014) at a function at Balyogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building, New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that he was pleased to be at the presentation of the 49th Jnanpith award to the eminent Hindi poet, Dr. Kedarnath Singh, for his outstanding contribution towards Indian literature. He congratulated Dr. Singh for winning this coveted award and said he was sure Dr. Singh would continue to enrich Hindi literature in the years to come.

The President said that Dr. Kedarnath Singh, through his poetry, has offered us a rare assimilation of rhymes and lyrical prose, exploring both the realms of reality and fantasy with equal felicity. His poetry presents a collage of meaning, colours and acceptance. A poet of unique stature, his approach is not only sensitive to modern aesthetics but also to traditional rural communities while at all times being committed to the celebration called life. He stated that it is his fond wish that the younger generation delves deep into Indian classics. This will not only help in resetting the moral compass but would also go a long way in contributing to our efforts at nation building. He stated that he was sure that the Bharatiya Jnanpith will adequately work out ways of exposing our youth to the brilliance of our literature.

This release issued at 1800 hrs.