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Jnanpith for Dr Girish Karnad

Kannada playwright, filmmaker and actor Dr Girish Karnad has bagged the 34th Jnanpith award for outstanding contribution to Indian literature.

Sponsored by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, the award carries a citation plaque, bronze replica of Vagdevi and Rs 500,000.

Till last year, the prize money was Rs 250,000.

Dr Karnad is the chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Born in 1938, he had a brilliant academic record. He won the Rhodes scholarship for post-graduation at the Oxford. He took to playwriting at a very young age. Tughlaq brought him instant recognition. Hayavadana is his other noteworthy work, combining folk tales and folk theatre with the dilemmas of modern life.

Dr Karnad is the seventh Kannada writer to win the prestigious award.

UNI

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