Jnanapeetha Award Winners from Karnataka

Compiled by: Youth Members

Kasturi Kannada SanghaCleveland, Ohio

History of the Jnanapeetha Award

• Instituted in 1961, it is one of the 2 most prestigious literary awards in India

• Awarded by the Bharatiya Jnanapith, a trust of Sahu Jain family (publishers of Times of India)

• Until 1982: awarded for a single work by author; since then, given for lifetime contribution

• 8 awardees in Kannada so far – 9 in Hindi; 5 in Bengali & Malayalam; 4 in Urdu; 3 in

Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi; 2 in Assamese, Tamil, Telugu

Jnanapeetha Awards in Kannada

• 1967: KuVemPu• 1973: Da Raa Bendre• 1977: K Shivarama Karanth• 1983: Masti Venkatesha Iyengar• 1990: V K Gokak• 1994: U R Ananthamurthy• 1998: Girish Karnad• 2010: Chandrashekhara Kambaara

KuVemPu

• Full Name: Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa• Born: December 29, 1904 (Hirekodige, Chikmagalur

district, Karnataka)• Died: November 11, 1994 (Mysore, Karnataka)• Education:

– Homeschooled for elementary education– Anglo Vernacular school in Tirthahalli for middle school – Finished high school at Wesleyan High School, Mysore – Graduated from Mysore University in 1929, majoring in

Kannada.

KuVemPu: Contributions

• Occupations: – He was a writer, poet, musical composer – Taught Kannada at the Central College in Bangalore– Vice- Chancellor at Mysore University until he retired in 1960

• Literary Contributions: – Novels: Kaanuru Subbamma Heggadati, Malegalalli Madumagalu– Modern epic (Mahakavya): Shri Ramayana Darshanam – He also wrote many plays, stories for children, collections of

poems, biographies, literary criticisms.– Wrote Karnataka state anthem: Jai Bharatha Jananiya Thanujate

KuVemPu: Awards

• Jnanapeetha Award: for Shri Ramayana Darshanam (1967)

• Padma Bhushan• Sahitya Academy Award• Rashtrakavi (national poet)• Padma Vibhushan• Karnataka Ratna

Da Raa Bendre

• Full Name: Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre– Wrote under the pen name ”Ambikatanayadatta”

• Born: January 31, 1896 (Dharwad, Karnataka)• Died: October 21, 1981 (Mumbai, Maharashtra)• Education: – Primary and secondary education in Dharwad– Bachelor’s degree from Ferguson College, Pune (Poona)– Later obtained Master of Arts

Da Raa Bendre: Contributions • Occupations: – Poet and writer: praised as “Varakavi” (gifted poet)– Briefly taught at Victoria High School, Dharwad– Advisor, All India Radio, Dharwad station

• Literary Contributions: – Poetry collections: Uyyale, Nadaleele, Meghadoota, Aralu

Maralu, Mugilamallige, Naku Tanti, Mate Shravana Bantu, Kuniyonu Baa

– Plays-Tirukara Pidugu, Nageya Hoge, Hucchatagalu, Ambikatanayadatta Nataka Samputa

– Katha Sankalana (collection of stories): Nirabharanasundari

Da Raa Bendre (awards)

• Jnanapeetha Award: for Naku Tanti (1973)

• Padma Shri• Sahitya Academy Award• Kelkar prize

K. Shivarama Karanth• Born: October 10, 1902 (village of Kota, Udupi district,

Karnataka)• Died: December 9, 1997 (Kasturba Medical College

hospital, Manipal) • Education:

– Finished his primary schooling in the town of Kundapura – Completed college level education at Government College,

Mangalore– College education was interrupted by participation in India’s

independence movement (influenced by Gandhi’s principles)

K. Shivaram Karanth (Contributions)• Occupations: – Kannada writer and intellectual– Social activist and environmentalist – Yakshagana researcher and artist, film maker

• Literary Contributions: – He wrote a total of 417 books (47 novels, 31 plays, 13

books on art and history, and many children’s books) – Considered one of the greatest Kannada novelists– Major works: Marali Mannige, Bettada Jeeva, Alida Mele,

Maimanagala Suliyalli, Mookajjiya Kanasugalu, Chomana Dudi, Kudiyara Koosu

K. Shivarama Karanth (awards)• Jnanapeetha award: for

Mookajjiya Kanasugalu (1977)• Padma Bhushan– He returned this in protest

against imposition of Emergency rule by Indira Gandhi

• Sahitya Academy award• Pampa award• Swedish academy award• Tulsi Samman

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar

• Born: June 8, 1891 (Hongenahalli , Kolar district , Karnataka)

• Died: June 7, 1986 (close to 95th birthday; Bangalore)• Pen names:

– Srinivasa, Masti• Education:

– Began primary education in the village of Hongenahalli– Continued studies in various places including Yalandoor,

Shivarapattana and Mysore. – Graduated from Madras University in 1914 (MA in English

Literature)

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (Contributions)

• Occupations: • Teacher, author • Member of the Mysore Civil Service (retired as District

Commissioner in 1943)• Literary Contributions: – Wrote over 120 books in Kannada and 17 books in English

over a span of 70 years– Epic: Shri Rama Pattabhisheka (coronation of Lord Rama)– Novels: Chikaveera Ranjendra, Channabasava Nayaka– Collection of stories: Kelavu Sanna Kathegalu– Plays: Kakanakote

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (awards)

• Jnanapeetha Award: for Chikaveera Rajendra (1983)

• Hailed as the father (Brahma) of Kannada short stories

• “Masti Kannadada Asti” (Masti is Kannada’s treasure)

• “Rajkasevasakta” by the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV

V. K. Gokak

• Full Name: Vinayaka Krishna Gokak• Born: August 9, 1909 (Savanur, Haveri district,

Karnataka)• Died: April 28, 1992 (Bengaluru, Karnataka)• Education: – Primary and high school education in Savanur, Karnataka– He obtained his B.A. (1929) and M.A. (1931) at Karnatak

College, Dharwar (he later became principal here)

V. K. Gokak (continued)

• Occupations: • Professor of English at Oxford University• Was head of many elite colleges and universities in India

• Literary Contributions: – Heavily influenced by the work of Da Raa Bendre. – Epic: Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi (possibly the longest epic

written in any language in the 20th century)– Novel: Samarasave Jeevana – Poetry collections: Urnanaabha, Abhyudaya,

Baaladeguladalli, Dhyava Prithvi, Samudra Geethegalu

V. K. Gokak (awards & influences)• Jnanapeetha Award: for

Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi (1990)• Padmashree Award (for Dhyava

Prithvi)

• Gokak agitation: Report by the Karnataka govt. committee headed by VK Gokak led to a successful agitation for Kannada language rights in schools and administration

U. R. Ananthamurthy

• Full Name: Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy• Born: December 21, 1932 (Melige, Tirthahalli Taluk,

Shimoga District, Karnataka)• Education:

– Began education in a traditional Sanskrit school in Durvasapura, continued in Thirthahalli

– Master of Arts, University of Mysore – Doctorate from University of Birmingham (1966)

U. R. Ananthamurthy (Contributions)

• Occupations: • Started as Professor of English, Kottayam, Kerala• Widely traveled all over the world as visiting professor• Kannada writer, critic and political activist

• Literary Contributions: – Short stories: Ghata Shraddha, Endendhigu Mugiyada Kathe – Novels: Samskaara, Bhava, Bharathi Pura, Avasthe, – Play (Avahane), poetry collections , literary criticisms and

essays in Kannada; several pieces on literature in English

U.R.Ananthamurthy (awards)

• Jnanapeetha award: for his contributions to Kannada literature (1994)

• Rajyothsava Award• Padma Bhushan• The Hindu Literary Prize• DSC Prize for South Asian

Literature

Girish Karnad

• Born: May 19, 1938 (Matheran, Maharashtra) • Education: – Initial schooling was in Sirsi, Karnataka– BA (Math & Stats), Karnataka Arts College, Dharwad, 1958– MA (Philosophy, Politics & Economics), Oxford Univ, 1963

• Occupations: – Oxford Univ Press (1963-70) & Univ of Chicago (1987-88)– Most famous as a Playwright– Movie actor and director

Girish Karnad (Contributions)

• Literary Contributions: – Plays: Yayati, Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Nagamandala, Agni

Mattu Male, Maa Nishaada, Bali, Tippuvina Kanasugalu, Odakalu Bimba

• Movie Director:– Vamsha Vriksha, Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, Ondanondu

Kaladalli, Kaadu, Kanooru Heggadithi• Movie Actor:– Samskaara, Vamsha Vriksha, Nishaant, Manthan,

Anveshane

Girish Karnad (awards)• Jnanapeetha Award: for his

contributions to Kannada literature and theater (1998)

• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award• Sahitya Academy Award• Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan• Kalidas Samman• Rajyotsava Award• 9 National Film Awards• 3 Filmfare Awards

Chandrashekhara Kambaara• Born:

– January 2, 1937 (Ghodageri, Belagavi district, Karnataka)• Education:

– Initial schooling in Gokak; then at Lingaraj College, Belagavi– PhD at Karnatak University, Dharwad (folk theater of North

Karnataka)• Career:

– Brief stint of teaching at University of Chicago– Taught at Bangalore University for over 2 decades– Founder Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi– Poet, playwright (uses North Karnataka dialect of Kannada)

Chandrashekhara Kambaara(Contributions)

• Poetry compilations:– Takaraarinavaru, Saavirada Neralu, Chakori

• Plays:– Rishyashringa, Jokumaraswamy, Sirisampige, Kaadu

Kudure, Chalesha, Jaisidanayaka, Harakeya Kuri• Novels & stories:– Karimaayi, Singaarevva Matthu Aramane, Shikhara Soorya

Chandrashekhara Kambaara(awards)

• Jnanapeetha Award: for his contributions to Kannada literature (2010)

• Padma Shri• Sahitya Academy Award• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award• Tagore Literature Award • National Film Award (title song

of film Kaadu Kudure)• Kalidas Samman• Kabir Samman• Pampa Award

Youth Contributors• Contributors of articles:– Maanasa Humchadkatte– Prajwal Sharma– Amala Uli– Rohan Achar– Esha Vartak– Kshama Girish– Nayan Rao

• Editors:– Nayan Rao– Amala Uli