Poet and lyricist Gulzar receives the Jnanpith Award for 2023

Gulzar receives a national award

Veteran poet and lyricist Gulzar, whose legal name is Sampooran Singh Kalra, recently added another national recognition for his decades of work. Gulzar earned the 58th Jnanpith Award for the year 2023 on Friday. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award.

However, the poet-lyricist was unable to attend the ceremony due to health-related issues. The President extended congratulations to 90-year-old Gulzar and wished for his full recovery.

According to PTI, President Droupadi Murmu said during the ceremony, “I send him my best wishes that he soon becomes fully healthy and active and continues to contribute to art, literature, society and the country.”

While talking about his contribution to Indian cinema, the president added, “Gulzar sahab has kept alive his devotion towards literary creation for decades. It can be said that Gulzar sahab is a writer who has established tenderness amidst harshness. People active in these fields should take inspiration and learning from his art and literary pursuits.”

However, Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya also received the award on the same day.

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Meanwhile, the poet-lyricist is considered one of the finest Urdu poets of this era. He is also celebrated for his works in Hindi cinema. His notable songs include Maine Tere Liye in Anand, Dil Dhundhta Hai in Mausam, Chhaiya Chhaiya in Dil Se.., and Ay Hairathe Aashiqui in Guru.

However, this wasn’t the first time that Gulzar was awarded a national award. The poet-lyricist is a seven-time recipient of the National Award. He has also won 21 Filmfare Awards.

Gulzar's notable awards include the Sahitya Akademi Award (2002), Padma Bhushan (2004), Academy Award and Grammy Award for Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire (2008), and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2013) for his contributions to Indian cinema.