G. Shankara Kurup was the first winner of the Jnanapith Award in 1965. He won the prize for his collection of poems in Malayalam ‘Odakkuzhal’ (The Bamboo flute, 1950).

Born June 03rd, 1901 in Nayathode, Kingdom of Cochin(now in Ernakulam district, Kerala). Shankara Kurup is better known as Mahakavi G (The great poet).

The Jnanapith Award is a literary award in India. Alongwith the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship it is one of the 2 most prestigious literary honours in the country. The Jnanapith award was instituted in 1961.

The name of the award is taken from the Sanskrit words ‘jnana’ and ‘pitha’ (knowledge-seat). It carries a cheque for Rupees 11 lakhs, a citation plaque and a bronze replica of Saraswati, the Indian Goddess of knowledge, music and the arts.

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