Who was the first woman to receive Jnanpith award?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Answer — Ashapurna Devi.
Explanation —
The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honor. Ashapurna Devi (a Bengali writer) was the first woman to receive this prestigious award. She was conferred with this honor in 1976 for her renowned novel, Pratham Pratishruti (The First Promise). In this novel, she presents a poignant portrayal of the struggles of women in 19th-century Bengal and their evolving status within society.
The Jnanpith Award was instituted in 1961 by the 'Bhartiya Jnanpith' (an organization managed by the Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain family). The inaugural award was presented in 1965 to the Malayalam writer G. Sankara Kurup. This award is conferred for outstanding contributions to any of the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, as well as to English. Currently, the award comprises a cash prize of ₹11 lakh, a citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati).
Additional Points —
Amrita Pritam: She received the Jnanpith Award in 1981 for her work Kagaz Te Canvas. She was the first Punjabi writer to receive this award.
Mahasweta Devi: She was honored with the Jnanpith Award in 1996 for her contributions to social work and literature (specifically regarding the rights of tribal communities).
Qurratulain Hyder: She was honored in 1989 for her immense contribution to Urdu literature (specifically for her novel Aag Ka Darya).
The 58th Jnanpith Award (2023) was jointly conferred upon Jagadguru Rambhadracharya (Sanskrit) and Gulzar (Urdu).
Potential Exam Questions and Answers —
Question: Who was the first person to receive the Jnanpith Award?
Answer: G. Sankara Kurup (1965).
Question: For which literary work did Ashapurna Devi receive the Jnanpith Award?
Answer: Pratham Pratishruti.