Poet and lyricist Vairamuthu conferred Jnanpith Award

Noted poet, lyricist and novelist Vairamuthu has been awarded the prestigious Jnanpith Award in recognition of his exceptional contributions to literature, spanning poetry, novels and film lyrics. With this honour, Tamil literature receives the country’s highest literary recognition once again after several decades.

Vairamuthu began his literary journey with the poetry collection Vaigarai Megangal, published in 1972. Since then, he has written more than 40 books, including collections of poetry and novels. Alongside his literary career, he has made a significant mark in cinema, writing around 7,500 songs for Tamil films. He also holds the unique distinction of being the only person in India to have won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics seven times.

In 2003, his acclaimed novel Kallikkattu Ithikasam won the Sahitya Akademi Award. In recognition of his wide-ranging contributions to literature and the arts, the Government of India has also honoured him with the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan.

Vairamuthu becomes the third writer from Tamil literature to receive the Jnanpith Award. Earlier recipients include Akilan in 1975 and Jayakanthan in 2002.