The 28th Moortidevi Award for 2014 has gone to the work 'Vyomkesh Darvesh' written by noted Hindi writer Vishwanath Tripathi.
The award was announced after a selection board with illustrious personalities met at the India International Centre here today under the chairmanship of M Veerappa Moily.
The fictional biography 'Vyomkesh Darvesh' is of noted Hindi critic Hazariprasad Dwivedi, considered a doyen of Hindi language.
Born on February 16, 1931 in Bishkohar village of district Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Tripathi was a student of the Banaras Hindu University and Panjab University.
He has penned a number of unique works that include "Lokwadi Tulsidas", "Meera Ka Kavya", "Desh ke is Daur Main", "Kuch Kahaniyan Kuch Vichar", "Ped Ka Hath", "Jaisa Kaha Saka" and "Nagatlai Ka Gaon."
The Moortidevi Award constituted by the Bhartiya Jnanpith is presented annually for a "contemplative and perceptive work which expresses, underlines and illumines human values rooted in the broad vision of Indian philosophy and cultural heritage."
Books written in English and all Indian languages are considered for the Prize, which comprises a cash award of Rs four lakhs, a statue and a citation plaque.
Apart from Moily, the selection board members include Thankamoni Amma, Kedarnath Singh, Sheenkaf Nizam, Veer Sagar Jain, Jayant Parmar, Bishnu N Mohapatra, Prabhakar Shrotriya and Leeladhar Mandloi.
