Jnanpith Award for Kashmiri poet

INDIA'S NOBEL: Rehman Raahi will be receiving the prestigious Jnanpith Award in its 40th year.

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New Delhi: The Jnanpith Award Selection Committee on Friday selected eminent Kashmiri poet and critic Rehman Raahi for this year's prestigious Jnanpith Award. Raahi has been chosen for his "enormous contribution to Indian literature," the panel said.

Jnanpith is considered the most prestigious award in the field of literature in India and it comprises Rs 5 lakh, a citation and a statuette of Vagdevi, the goddess of learning.

The Jnanpith Award Selection Committee, comprising Dr L M Singhvi, Mahashweta Devi, Ramakant Rath, Gopichand Narang and convener Ravindra Kalia selected Raahi for the 40th Award for the year 2004-05.

Raahi is the fist Kahmiri writer to get this award. He had won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961. Born in 1925, Raahi has also been conferred the Padmashree Award and is a Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi.

His collection of poems and essays had won him several awards in his career.