Tamil Poet R Vairamuthu Receives 60th Jnanpith Award At Lodhi Road Ceremony
Tamil poet R Vairamuthu was presented with the 60th Jnanpith Award for 2025, India's highest literary honour, at the Chinmaya Mission auditorium on Lodhi Road in New Delhi on Monday. The ceremony, which coincided with the 73-year-old writer's birthday, celebrated his five decades of literary contributions.
Former Union minister and scholar Karan Singh presented the award to Vairamuthu. The honour includes a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a citation plaque, and a bronze replica of the Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom, Vagdevi.
Speaking in Tamil, with his address subsequently presented in Hindi, Vairamuthu reflected on his journey from a childhood marked by poverty and displacement to becoming a celebrated literary figure. "My school taught me the alphabet, while poverty gave me the light of wisdom. Together, they made me a servant of literature," he said.
Vairamuthu described the 60th Jnanpith Award as a vial containing "60 grams of amrit," sharing that the honour belonged to all the great literary figures who came before him. During his speech, he raised key challenges for the future of literature, including cultivating reading habits among younger generations, securing global recognition for Indian literature, preserving mother tongues, and connecting literature with everyday life.
Born into a farming family, Vairamuthu recalled the pain of seeing his village submerged, stating that these hardships kindled his poetic voice. His extensive body of work includes the Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel 'Kallikkattu Ithikasam', as well as prominent works like 'Karuvachi Kaaviyam', 'Moondram Ulaga Por', and poetry collections such as 'Vaikarai Megangal'.
Several dignitaries attended the event, including Sahu Akhilesh Jain, managing trustee of Bharatiya Jnanpith; Dr Pratibha Ray, selection board chairperson; Mudit Jain, trustee; and RN Tewari, general manager, who delivered the vote of thanks.
Karan Singh highlighted the depth of Tamil culture during the ceremony, praising its temples and Bharatanatyam. Mudit Jain noted that Vairamuthu's writing gives profound expression to human struggles and social justice, while Dr Pratibha Ray added that his words are deeply rooted in Tamil culture while speaking to universal human experiences.
