Awards AppointmentsMonday, 16 March 2026·https://testbook.com/current-affairs/16-march-2026-daily-current-affairs
Jnanpith Award 2025 conferred on Tamil writer R. Vairamuthu; 3rd Tamil laureate after Akilan and Jayakanthan
R. Vairamuthu received the 2025 Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honour, with key facts on its history, prize and Tamil laureates.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In 2025, the Bharatiya Jnanpith conferred the Jnanpith Award on Tamil lyricist-poet R. Vairamuthu, making him the third Tamil writer to receive India’s highest literary honour after Akilan (1975) and Jayakanthan (2002).
Key specifics
- Instituted in 1961 by Bharatiya Jnanpith, the award is given annually for lifetime contribution to literature.
- The prize includes ₹11 lakh, a citation and a Vagdevi statue.
- R. Vairamuthu made his Tamil film debut in 1980 with Nizhalgal, directed by Bharathiraja.
- He has written over 7,500 songs and poems across more than five decades.
- His Sahitya Akademi Award came in 2003 for Kallikkattu Ithikasam.
Exam lens
Awards and honours question, Bharatiya Jnanpith founded in 1961, ₹11 lakh prize, third Tamil laureate after Akilan and Jayakanthan — TNPSC may ask match-the-following on literary awards.