Guwahati, Dec 7 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday congratulated eminent poet Nilmoni Phukan on being awarded the 56TH Jnanpith Award. It was a matter of great pride for the people of the state that the eminent litterateur has been awarded the country"s highest literary award, the chief minister said in a statement here. ""The poetic sensibilities of Phukan have always mesmerised the people of the state and this award will surely further elevate Assamese literature to greater heights"", he added. Sarma wished good health to the octogenarian poet and hoped that he would continue to write more poems and further enrich Assamese literature. The 88-year old litterateur is the third recipient of the Jnanpith Award from the north-eastern state after Birendranath Bhattacharya and Mamoni (Indira) Raisom Goswami. A Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi awardee, Phukan had also received the Sahitya Akademi fellowship. Among his well-known books are " Surya Heno namo ahe ei nadiyedi" (The Sun comes descending by this river), ‘Phuli thaka suryamukhi phulor phale’ (towards the blooming sunflower), "Kabita" (collected poems). He has also authored several books on art. A retired college professor, he was also awarded D.Litt by Dibrugarh University in 2019. Phukan was awarded the Jnanpith Award, along with Konkani short story writer and novelist Damodar Mauzo. PTI DG MM MM