The highest literary award in India — the Jnanpith Award — is presented by the Bharathiya Jnanpith. It is a Trust founded by the Sahu Jain family who are the publishers of The Times of India newspaper.

A total of 51 writers have been presented with this award which was instituted in 1961. The award carries a cheque for Rs 7.5 lakh, a citation and a bronze replica of Vagdevi.

Till date, eight Kannada writers — Kuvempu (1967, Sri Ramayana Darshanam), D. R. Bendre (1973, Nakutanti), Shivaram Karanth (1977, Mukajjiya Kanasugalu), Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (1983, Chikaveera Rajendra), V. K. Gokak (1990, Bharatha Sindhu Rashmi), Dr. U. R. Ananthamurthy (1994, works in Kannada), Dr. Girish Karnad (1998, works in Kannada) and Dr. Chandrashekar Kambar (2010, works in Kannada) — have bagged this coveted award.

Dr. Chandrashekar Kambar:
Birth: January 2, 1937; Ghodgeri, Belgaum
A poet, playwright and folklorist, Kambar obtained MA degree from Dharwad Karnatak University and was awarded Ph. D for his thesis Uttara Karnatakada Janapad Rangbhumi. He was the Founder Vice - Chancellor of Hampi Kannada University. He has to his credit 22 plays, 8 collection of poems, 3 novels, 12 research works and several write-ups on folk theater, literature and education. He has also directed a number of movies based on the plays written by him.

Awards:
Padma Shri (2001), Nadoja Award from Kannada University (2004), National Film Award for the title song of film Kaadu Kudure, Sahithya Academy award (1991).

Dr. Girish Karnad:
Birth: May 19, 1938; Matheran, Maharashtra.
A writer, playwright, screen - writer, actor and movie director, Girish Karnad’s schooling was in Sirsi, when he was exposed to travelling theatre groups. He was also an admirer of Yakshagana. He obtained MA in Philosophy, Political Science and Economics from Lincoln and Magdalen Colleges in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Karnad took up fulltime writing after working at Oxford University Press, Chennai.

He has made immense contribution to Kannada literature with his works, even though his mother tongue is Konkani. Apart from plays, he has also acted and directed movies in Kannada and Hindi.

Awards:
Padma Shree (1974), Padma Bhushan (1992), Hon. Doctorate by Karnataka University (1994) & University of Southern California.

Dr. Kota Shivaram Karanth:
Birth: Oct. 10, 1902; Kota, Udupi district.
A Kannada writer, social activist, environmentalist, Yakshagana artist, film maker and thinker, Karanth was known as the “Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India.” He was influenced by Gandhi's principles, and left his degree to participate in the Non - cooperation movement. Karanth later started writing fiction - detective novels and plays. He wrote 47 novels and is considered as one of the greatest novelist in Kannada. Also, his earlier novels have cover pages of art work made by him.

His contribution to revival of Yakshagana is immense and he took Yakshagana troops to European countries. He also wrote 31 plays, four short stories, six books of essays and sketches, thirteen books on art, a standard treatise on the Yakshagana, a three volume book of knowledge for children, a four volume encyclopedia on science, 240 children's books, six books on travel, two books on birds, three travelogues and an autobiography totalling to around 417 books. He also directed two silent films Bhoota Rajya and Dovingo.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan which he returned in protest against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. He passed away on Dec. 9, 1997.

Awards:
Sahitya Academy award (1958), Swedish Academy award, Tulsi Samman.

Kuppalli Venkatappagowda Puttappa:
Birth: Dec. 29, 1904; Hirekodige, Chikmagalur district.
Regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century Kannada literature, Puttappa wrote under the pen name Kuvempu. His first literary work was in English — a collection of poetry called Beginner's Muse after which he switched to Kannada. He began his academic career as a lecturer of Kannada at Maharaja College and went on to become its Principal. In 1956, he was elected as the Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University and was the first graduate from the University to rise to that position. To cater to the needs of Kannada research, he founded the Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe in Mysore University (Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies).

Kuvempu was against casteism, meaningless practices and rituals and his writings reflected his views about these. He is the second among Kannada poets to be revered as Rashtrakavi (after M. Govinda Pai). He is remembered for his contribution to Universal Humanism (Vishwa maanavataa Vaada) and Ramayana Darshanam, the rewriting of the epic Ramayana in modern Kannada. He also penned the State anthem Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate. He passed away on Nov. 11, 1994.

Awards:
Padma Bhushan (1958), Padma Vibhushan (1988), Karnataka Ratna (1992).

Dr. Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre:
Birth: Jan. 31, 1896; Dharwad
Writing under the pen name Ambikatanayadatta, Bendre has been hailed as the father figure of modern Kannada poetry. In 1922, Bendre formed the Geleyara Gumpu (Group of Friends) intended for the study of culture and literature. This group drew poets, writers and intellectuals including Ananda Kanda, G. B. Joshi, V. K. Gokak and others. In 1926 he started Nadahabba, a celebration of the land and culture which is celebrated during Navarathri. He was imprisoned in 1932 for writing Nara Bali (Human Sacrifice), which was then branded seditious. He passed away on Oct. 21, 1981.

Awards:
Karnataka Kula Thilaka (The light of the Kannada Nation) title by Udupi Adamaru Math, Padma Shri (1968), Sahitya Academy award (1958).

Dr. Vinayaka Krishna Gokak:
Birth: Aug. 9, 1909; Savanur, Haveri district
An English & Kannada literature scholar and Kannada writer, Gokak obtained an MA in English from Fergusson College, Pune. He pursued advanced studies with distinction in English at Oxford University. He was the first Kannada Chairman of the Jnanpith Award Selection Committee. He made immense contribution to poetry (including composition of the epic Bharatha Sindhurashmi), drama, criticism and other forms of literature along with producing many works in English. Gokak agitation, a language rights agitation in the 1980s that fought for first language status of Kannada in the State, was named after the committee headed by Gokak. He passed away on Apr. 28, 1992.

Awards:
Sahitya Academy Award (1961), Padma Shree (1961), Hon. Doctorate by Karnatak University.

Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar:
Birth: June 6, 1891; Hongenahalli, Kolar
Writing under the pen name Srinivasa, Maasti obtained MA in English literature from Madras University. He cleared the Civil Services exam and held various positions in different parts of Karnataka, including District Commissioner of Kolar, Madhugiri and Chikamagalur. However, he took voluntary retirement and dedicated his life to literature. He wrote more than 120 books in Kannada and 17 in English and is renowned for his short stories. He was honoured by then Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar with the title Rajasevasakta. He passed away in 1986.

Awards:
Kendra Sahitya Academy award (1968), Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award (1980)

Courtesy: Star of Mysore

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