Renowned Tamil lyricist and poet Vairamuthu received the 60th Jnanpith Award for the year 2025 in a grand ceremony held in the national capital. Presented by former Union Minister Karan Singh, the country’s highest literary honor recognizes Vairamuthu’s immense contribution to Indian literature. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, the lyricist delivered a powerful message of gratitude to the Tamil people while also sharing a remarkably calm and measured response to the criticism surrounding his nomination.
Vairamuthu dedicated the honor of every Tamil
Speaking to reporters after receiving the award in New Delhi, Vairamuthu expressed his gratitude, saying the honor belongs to the entire Tamil community. As reported by Nakkheeran, he said, “Jnanpith is the highest honor in Indian literature. It can be considered as the Nobel Prize of Indian literature. After 24 years, this award returned to Tamil. I dedicate this honor to every Tamil. Every Tamil should celebrate it as a tribute to their own home. Parents and teachers should pass on the greatness of this award and the richness of Tamil to the younger generation.His heartfelt words quickly went viral on social media, with many praising his emotional tribute in the Tamil language.
Vairamuthu showed his faith
Vairamuthu also said that this recognition should not be taken as the ultimate basis of Tamil literary heritage. He said, “Tamil greatness cannot be completed with Jnanpith, nor does it end with this award. It is only a continuation of a long journey. Tamils ​​must continue to share their knowledge, civilization, culture, and way of life with the world from one generation to the next.” His speech expressed his conviction that Tamil literature will always be corrected and will continue to grow regardless of individual accolades.
Vairamuthu responded to the criticism with a measured message
Addressing the criticism surrounding the award, Vairamuthu chose to respond calmly. He said, “If there is no opposition, it is not an award at all. It is right to accept criticism. Whether it is right or wrong should not be decided by the creator but not by the readers.”With seven National Film Awards and a Sahitya Akademi win under his belt, Vairamuthu’s Jnanpith recognition marks a monumental, historic milestone for modern Tamil poetry on the national stage.