Gulzar, Sanskrit scholar Rambhadracharya selected for Jnanpith Award
New Delhi (PTI): Renowned Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya have been named the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award, the Jnanpith selection committee announced on Saturday.
Gulzar is known for his works in Hindi cinema and is considered one of the finest Urdu poets of this era. He has earlier received Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu in 2002, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013, Padma Bhushan in 2004, and at least five National Film awards for his works.
Rambhadracharya, the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, educator and writer of more than 100 books.
In a statement, the Jnanpith selection committee said, "It has been decided to give the award (for 2023) to eminent writers from two languages: Sanskrit litterateur Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and well known Urdu litterateur Shri Gulzar."
Goan writer Damodar Mauzo had received the prestigious award for 2022.
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Social media platforms in India have seen stark political shift post 2014: Mohammed Zubair in M'lore
Mangaluru: Mohammed Zubair, the prominent fact-checker and co-founder of Alt News, highlighted the changing dynamics of media and social media narratives during a special event held at the Bishop Jathanna Auditorium here on Thursday. Zubair was the chief guest at the release of the special edition magazine of Eedina.com, where he shared his insights into the evolving political landscape and media discourse in India.
Zubair pointed out a stark shift in the behavior of social media platforms since 2014, when the BJP came to power. He observed that many pages and handles, which were once critical of the government, started praising it after the political change. He remarked that this transformation in tone and approach was a significant indicator of the influence of political power on digital platforms.
Sharing his personal journey, Zubair recounted how his frustration with the system and the visible shifts in political narratives on social media led him to transition from being a full-time software engineer to becoming a fact-checker.
He was critical of the mainstream media, accusing it of selectively reporting news to favor the ruling party. According to Zubair, media houses often pick positive stories from BJP-ruled states to portray the government in a good light, while any criticism is directed at states governed by opposition parties. He also highlighted how certain news stories are framed to target minorities or marginalized communities such as Dalits and SC/STs, creating divisive narratives.
Zubair went on to accuse many mainstream media outlets and anchors of being agenda-driven. He claimed that their coverage often serves to divert public attention from pressing issues and works to safeguard the interests of the BJP government.
He cited the recent incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal as an example. Zubair explained how misinformation and communal narratives were widely circulated across media platforms to politicize the tragedy, targeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
During his speech, Zubair stressed the urgent need for more independent media houses to counter biased reporting and provide a platform for balanced and accurate news.
The event concluded with an interactive session, where Zubair engaged with the audience, answering questions on the state of both mainstream and independent media.
Dr. HM Watson, Principal of Karnataka Theological College launched the mobile app of Eedina.com during the event.
Dr. Vasu HV presided over the program and delivered the presidential address. The event was attended by several prominent individuals, including M. Devdas of the Karnataka Dalit Sangarsh Samiti, social activist Vidya Dinkar, Shahnaz M of Anupama magazine, Jacinta Pereira of the Deeds organization, Laxman Kundar, and Dr. HM Watson.
