Tamil poet-lyricist Vairamuthu to receive 2025 Jnanpith Award
Celebrated writer honoured for his significant contribution to Tamil literature and decades-long literary career
Renowned Tamil poet, lyricist and writer Vairamuthu has been named the recipient of the 2025 Jnanpith Award, recognising his outstanding contribution to Indian literature.
The announcement was made on Saturday by Bharatiya Jnanpith, which said the honour acknowledges Vairamuthu’s distinctive poetic voice and the depth of creativity reflected in his work.
The decision was taken by the Bharatiya Jnanpith Selection Committee chaired by noted writer Pratibha Ray. The panel included several prominent scholars and literary figures such as Madhav Kaushik, Damodar Mauzo, Suranjan Das, A. Krishna Rao, Prafulla Shiledar, Kesubhai Desai, Janaki Prasad Sharma, K. Srinivas Rao and Maheshwar.
Born on 13 July 1953 in Tamil Nadu, Vairamuthu is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Tamil literature. His writings are known for their vivid depiction of human emotions, engagement with social themes and a strong sensitivity towards nature.
Over a literary career spanning more than four decades, he has contributed extensively across poetry, song lyrics and prose. His work has attracted a wide readership for its originality, emotional intensity and deep cultural grounding.
Vairamuthu has written more than 37 books, including poetry collections and novels. Among his most notable works are Kallikattu Ethikasam, Karuvachi Kaaviyam, Thanni Desam and Moondraam Ullaga Por (The Third World War).
He has received numerous honours during his career, including the National Film Award for Best Lyrics on seven occasions. He was also conferred the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014 by the Government of India.
In 2003, he was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his acclaimed novel Kallikattu Ethikasam. Additionally, the Government of Tamil Nadu honoured him with the Kalaimamani for his contribution to literature and the arts.
The selection committee noted that although Tamil is among India’s most vibrant literary languages, only two Tamil writers—P. V. Akilan and D. Jayakanthan—have previously received the Jnanpith Award.
Vairamuthu’s selection is therefore seen as further recognition of Tamil literature’s rich tradition at the national level.
The Jnanpith Award includes a cash prize of ₹11 lakh, a bronze statuette of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), and a citation, and is presented annually to an author for exceptional contribution to literature in any of the Indian languages.
With IANS inputs