Renowned Hindi littérateur Krishna Sobti has been chosen for this year’s Jnanpith Award, the Jnanpith Selection Board announced on Friday.
Born in 1925 iin Gujrat in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, Sobti (92) is known for experimenting with new writing styles and creating “bold” and “daring” characters in her stories who were ready to accept all challenges. Her language was highly influenced by the intermingling of Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi cultures.
'Path-breaking novelist'
“Sobti is a path-breaking novelist. She has immensely enriched Hindi literature,” the statement by the board, chaired by noted scholar, writer and critic Namwar Singh, said.
Others on the decision-making body included Girishwar Misra, Shamim Hanfi, Harish Trivedi, Suranjan Das, Ramakant Rath, Chandrakant Patil, Alok Rai, C Radhakrishnan, Madhishudhan Anand and Leeladhar Mandloi.
The writer’s choice of subjects ranged from the Partition, and relationships between man and woman, to the changing dynamics of the Indian society and the gradual deterioration of human values.
Works translated in foreign languages too
Some of her celebrated works include Daar Se Bichhudi , Mitro Marjani , Zindaginama , Dil-o-Danish , Badalom ke Ghere , Ai Ladki and Gujarat Pakistan Se Gujarat Hindustan. Several of her works have been translated into other Indian languages and also in Swedish, Russian and English.
She has been the recipient of many coveted awards in the past, including Hindi Akademi Awards, Shiroman Awards, Maithli Sharan Gupt Samman, Sahitya Akademi Fellowship and Padma Bhushan.
