41 writers return indian award

You're referring to the recent controversy surrounding the Jnanpith Award, one of the most prestigious literary awards in India.

In 2020, 41 writers and literary personalities returned their Jnanpith Awards in protest against the award's governing body, the Bharatiya Jnanpith, for allegedly not taking adequate steps to address the concerns of writers and intellectuals in the country.

The controversy began when the Jnanpith Award's governing body decided to confer the award on a writer who was accused of making derogatory remarks about a particular community. Many writers and intellectuals felt that this decision was a betrayal of the values of literature and freedom of expression.

The 41 writers who returned their awards included prominent figures such as Arundhati Roy, Nayantara Sahgal, and Girish Karnad, among others. They issued a joint statement expressing their disappointment and disillusionment with the Jnanpith Award's governing body and its failure to uphold the principles of literary merit and social responsibility.

The controversy has sparked a wider debate about the role of literature and awards in society, and the need for writers and intellectuals to stand up for their values and principles in the face of adversity.