Eminent Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan was on Monday
conferred the 56th Jnanpith Award, the ceremony of which was held for the first
time in Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Chairperson
of Jnanpith Selection Board Pratibha Ray handed over the trophy, cheque and
other mementos to the 88-year-old celebrated poet, known for his pro-people
writings.
The function to handover the literary award was held for the
first time in Assam considering the health issues of Phookan, a recipient of
Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awards.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said that the Jnanpith Award
presented to Phookan made the people of Assam proud and elated.
He said that this honour was a great moment of achievement
for the Assamese people and thanked the Bharatiya Jnanpith, the organisation
giving the award, for presenting the prestigious award to the eminent poet.
The Chief Minister said Phookan is the third Assamese to
receive the Jnanpith Award after novelist Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya (1979)
and Mamoni Raisom Goswami (2000).
“Most of the poems of the poet Nilmani Phookan, who created
a new era of modern Assamese poetry, are rich in quality and have a beautiful
picture of nature.
“Through poetry, he explores life, youth, love, joy, the
world’s most common mysteries, nature and many other subjects,” said Sarma,
while terming him as one of the best poets of the twentieth century.
The Chief Minister further said that there is a need to take
Phookan’s poetry to global readers and expressed a desire that Assam
Publication Board undertake to translate his poems.