New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu on Friday conferred the 58th Jnanpith Award on Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and also praised his invaluable contributions in the field of literature and social service.

President Murmu, conferring the award at the city’s Vigyan Bhawan, also extended congratulations to Gulzar for the Jnanpith Award, who could not attend the Award ceremony. She wished for the good health of the noted lyricist and writer.

Speaking about Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, President Murmu said that he has set an inspiring example of excellence. She praised his multi-faceted contributions and said that he has rendered extraordinary service to literature and society with his divine vision.

She further said that the next generation can take inspiration from his glorious life and move ahead on the right path in literary creation, society-building as well as nation-building.

President Murmu said that the literature unites and awakens society.

“From the social awakening of the 19th century to our freedom struggle in the 20th century, poets and writers have played a great role in connecting people. The song ‘Vande Mataram’ composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay has been awakening the children of Mother India for almost 150 years, and will always do so. From Valmiki, Vyas, and Kalidas to the works of eternal poets like Rabindranath Tagore, we feel the pulse of a living India. This pulse is the voice of Indianness,” she said.

The President also praised the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust for awarding outstanding litterateurs of various Indian languages, since 1965.

The President said that Jnanpith Awardee women writers like Ashapurna Devi, Amrita Pritam, Mahadevi Verma, Qurratul-Ain-Haider, Mahasweta Devi, Indira Goswami, Krishna Sobti and Pratibha Ray have observed and experienced Indian tradition and society with special sensitivity and have enriched our literature.

She said that our sisters and daughters should actively participate in literary creation and make our social thinking more sensitive by taking inspiration from these great women writers.

–IANS

mr/pgh