54th Jnanpith Award conferred on author Amitav Ghosh

Author Amitav Ghosh was conferred the 54th Jnanpith Award.

He was awarded for his contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature in English at a ceremony.
The award was presented by the former governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi in New Delhi.
Amitav Ghosh is the first English writer to get the prestigious Jnanpith Award.

Amitav Ghosh is an Indian writer who is best known for his work in English fiction.
In 2007, the government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri.
He has also received the Israeli Dan David Prize, together with Margaret Atwood.

His book, The Circle of Reason won the Prix Médicis étranger which is France's top literary awards.
His work 'The Calcutta Chromosome' won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for 1997.
Also, his work 'Sea of Poppies' was shortlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize.
The book 'River of Smoke' was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2011.

The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award.
It was instituted in 1961.
The award is sponsored by Bharatiya Jnanpith, a literary research organization.
It is presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their outstanding contribution towards literature.
The award is bestowed only on Indian writers who writes in Indian languages that are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English, with no posthumous conferral.
G. Sankara Kurup was the first who received the award in 1965.
The award consists of a citation plaque, a cash prize of Rs.12 lakh (around), and a bronze replica of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge and wisdom.

Q. Which Indian author was conferred the 54th Jnanpith Award?
a. Amitav Ghosh
b. Amish Ghosh
c. Amit Ghosh
d. Amrit Ghosh