Bharatiya Jnanpith a literary and research organization, was founded on February 18, 1944 [1][2] by Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain of the Sahu Jain family and his wife Rama Jain to undertake systematic research and publication of Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali and Apabhramsha texts.[1]
Its research and publication programme started with the publication of the Dhavala texts. A Jain temple at Moodabidri in Karnataka, southern India, had stored for centuries its manuscript of palm-leaves. It was a 9th century commentary in Prakrit and Sanskrit, of a 2nd century AD work, Satkhandagama, in Prakrit on the Jain doctrine of karma.
It has published two series of texts:
It annually publishes hundreds of books in Hindi (both original and translated works) and other languages, and also presents India's highest literary awards, the Jnanpith Awards and the Moortidevi Award,[3] besides awards for upcoming writers.