Who was honored with the 59th Jnanpith Award for 2024?

Vinod Kumar Shukla received the prestigious 59th Jnanpith Award for 2024 in recognition of his significant contributions to Hindi literature. He made history as the first person from Chhattisgarh state to receive this honor. Shukla's literary career began with his poetry booklet 'Lagbhag Jai Hind' published in 1971. His notable novels include 'Naukar Ki Kameez,' 'Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rahti Thi,' and 'Khilega to Dekhenge.' His literary excellence was previously recognized with the 1999 Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel "Deewar mein ek Khidki Rehti Thi" and the 2023 PEN/Nabokov Award for achievement in international literature. The Jnanpith Award, presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust, is India's highest literary honor and includes a cash prize of Rs 11 lakhs, a citation, and a statue of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati).