Nilmani Phookan Jr

Nilmani Phookan (10 September 1933 – 19 January

2023)[1] was an Indian poet in the Assamese language Nilmani Phookan
and an academic. His work, replete with symbolism, is Born 10 September 1933
inspired by French symbolism and is representative of Dergaon, Assam Province,
the genre in Assamese poetry. His notable works British India
include Surya Henu Nami Ahe Ei Nodiyedi, Gulapi Died 19 January 2023 (aged 89)
Jamur Lagna, and Kobita.[2][3] Guwahati, Assam, India
Nationality Indian
Phookan has won the 56th Jnanpith Award, India's
highest literary award, for the year 2020.[4] He was Occupation(s) Poet, academic
also awarded the 1981 Sahitya Akademi Award in Known for Symbolism
Assamese for his poetry collection, Kavita (Kobita). [5]

He was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India in 1990,[6] and received the Sahitya Akademi
Fellowship, the highest literary honor in India, given by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of
Letters in 2002.[7]

Early life and education

Phookan was born in Dergaon in Golaghat district, Assam. He received his Master's degree in History
from Gauhati University in 1961. Although he had started writing poetry in the early 1950s.[8]

Career
Phookan started his career as a lecturer at Arya Vidyapeeth College in Guwahati in 1964, where he
worked until his retirement in 1992.[8] He has also translated Japanese and European poetry into
Assamese.

Phookan won the 56th Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary award, for the year 2020.[9][10] He was
also awarded the Assam Valley Literary Award in 1997,[11] and in 2002 he received the Sahitya Akademi
Fellowship, the highest literary honor in India, given by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of
Letters, reserved for "the immortals of literature".[12] In 2019, he was awarded a D.Lit. by Dibrugarh
University.[13]

Works
Surya Heno Nami Ahe Ei Nadiyedi ("The sun is said to come descending by this river"),
1963.
Manas-pratima. Guwahati Book Stall, 1971.
 Phuli Thaka Suryamukhi Phultor Phale ("Towards the Blooming Sunflower"), 1971.
Kabita. Sahitya Akademi Publications, 2001. ISBN 81-260-1058-4.
Selected Poems Of Nilmani Phookan. tr. by Krishna Dulal Barua. Sahitya Akademi
Publications, 2007. ISBN 81-260-2433-X.

Awards and recognition

In December 2021, the prolific poet and writer Nilmani Phookan received the prestigious
Jnanpith Award for his lifetime contribution in literature.[14][15]
In 1997, Phookan was awarded the Assam Valley Literary Award.
He was awarded the 1981 Sahitya Akademi Award in Assamese for his poetry collection,
Kavita (Kobita)[14]
He was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India in 1990.

References
1. Noted Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan passes away (https://nenow.in/north-east-news/ass
am/assam-assamese-poet-nilmani-phookan-passes-away.html)
2. Akademi, p. 462
3. Since he shares his name another Assamese poet, Nilamani Phukan (1879–1978), he is
often referred as Nilamani Phookan(Jr). He had been awarded the 56th highest literacy
award Jnanpith Award by the Government of India in 2021.(J
4. "Damodar Mauzo wins Jnanpith Award, here's all you need to know about the renowned
Goan writer" (https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/damodar-mauzo-wins-jnanpith-award-her
es-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-renowned-goan-writer). The Free Press Journal. 4
January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
5. "Sahitya Akademi Award 1955-2007 - Assamese" (https://web.archive.org/web/2010042002
1146/http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa10301.htm). Official listings,
Sahitya Akademi website. Archived from the original (http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_
version/awa10301.htm) on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
6. "Padma Awards" (http://india.gov.in/myindia/padma_awards.php). Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology.
7. "Conferment of Sahitya Akademi Fellowship" (https://web.archive.org/web/2010022311212
5/http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa2.htm). Official listings, Sahitya
Akademi website. Archived from the original (http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/
awa2.htm) on 23 February 2010. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
8. "Nilmani Phookan" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110721052731/http://india.poetryinternati
onalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=2731). India - Poetry
International Web. Archived from the original (http://india.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cm
s/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=2731) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
9. "Assam poet and Konkani novelist receive Jnanpith Award" (https://indianexpress.com/articl
e/books-and-literature/assam-poet-konkani-novelist-receive-jnanpith-award-7661414/). The
Indian Express. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
10. "Poet Nilmani Phookan wins the Jnanpith award" (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/
education/news/poet-nilmani-phookan-wins-the-jnanpith-award/articleshow/88157562.cms).
The Times of India. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
11. "Another plume in writer's crown" (https://web.archive.org/web/20121024064602/http://www.
telegraphindia.com/1080413/jsp/northeast/story_9131491.jsp). The Telegraph. 13 April
2008. Archived from the original (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080413/jsp/northeast/story
_9131491.jsp) on 24 October 2012.
12. "Bhisham Sahni, Kaifi Azmi in Sahitya Akademi" (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/2002022
0/nation.htm#8). The Tribune. 20 February 2002.
13. "Dibrugarh University (DU) Confers Doctor of Literature On Poet Nilamani Phukan" (https://
www.sentinelassam.com/top-headlines/dibrugarh-university-du-confers-doctor-of-literature-o
n-poet-nilamani-phukan/). Sentinelassam. 20 August 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
14. "Noted Assamese Poet Nilmani Phookan Wins Jnanpith Award" (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20211207100754/https://www.pratidintime.com/noted-assamese-poet-nilmani-phookan-wi
ns/amp/). www.pratidintime.com. Archived from the original (https://www.pratidintime.com/no
ted-assamese-poet-nilmani-phookan-wins/amp/) on 7 December 2021.
15. "असमिया साहित्यकार नीलमणि फू कन व कोंकणी साहित्यकार दामोदर मौउजो को ज्ञानपीठ पुरस्कार" (https://zee
news.india.com/hindi/zeesalaam/news/assamese-litterateur-nilamani-phukan-and-konkani-li
tterateur-damodar-moujo-received-jnanpith-award-htzs/1042915).

External links
Modern Indian literature, an anthology, Volume 2 (https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2
Pa3f7r0C&q=Nilamani+Phookan&pg=PA464). Sahitya Akademi. 1992. ISBN 81-7201-324-
8.
* Laureate of Assam-Nilamani Phookan (http://www.facenfacts.com/NewsDetails/13840/laur
eate-of-assam-nilamani-phookan.htm)( FacenFcats.com)
Exploring Life, poems by Nilmani Phookan (http://www.assamtribune.com/apr2409/mosaic1.
html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20090427162603/http://www.assamtribune.com/
apr2409/mosaic1.html) 27 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine at Assam Tribune
Poems by Nilmani Phookan (http://india.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_mod
ule/index.php?obj_id=2731) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20110721052731/http://in
dia.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=2731) 21 July
2011 at the Wayback Machine

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