He is the first Kashmiri writer to be awarded the Jnanpith, India's highest literary award for his poetic collection Siyah Rood Jaeren  Manz (In Black Drizzle).
He became the inaugural recipient of the Jnanpith Award from India's literary community for his poetic work "Siyah Rood Jaeren  Manz" (In Black Drizzle).