Kannada Jnanapeetha Awards

The Jnanapeetha Award is the highest literary honour conferred in the Republic of India. An Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour. The award carries a cheque for Rs. 5,00,000.00 a citation plaque and a bronze replica of Vagdevi. The Jnanpeeth Award was instituted on May 22, 1961 The first award was given in 1965. Its first recipient was Malayalam writer G. Sankara Kurup in 1965. 

Kannada has won eight, the highest number of Jnana Peeth Awards, the most prestigious literary award given by the Government of India. The poets who won them are:

1.    Kuvempu for Shri Ramayana Darshanam

2.    Dha. Raa.Bendhre for Naaku thanthi

3.    Shivaram Karanth for Mookajjiya Kanasugalu

4.    Masti Venkatesh Iyengar for Chikkaveera Raajendhra

5.    Vi. Kru.Gokak for Bhaaratha Sindhhu Rashmi

6.    GirishKarnad for his works in Kannada

7.    U. R. Ananthamurthy for his works in Kannada

8.    ChandrashekarKambar for his contribution to the literature field.