Everything about K V Puttappa totally explained
Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa (
Kannada: ಕುಪ್ಪಳ್ಳಿ ವೆಂಕಟಪ್ಪಗೌಡ ಪುಟ್ಟಪ್ಪ) (
December 29,
1904 -
November 11,
1994) is a
Kannada writer,
poet, widely regarded as the greatest poet of 20th century
Kannada literature. He is the first among seven recipients of
Jnanpith Award for
Kannada. Puttappa wrote all his literary works using the
pen name Kuvempu. He is the second among
Kannada poets to be revered as
Rashtrakavi (after
M. Govinda Pai). His work
Sri Ramayana Darshanam, the rewriting of the great ancient
Indian epic
Ramayana in
modern Kannada, is regarded as revival of the era of
Mahakayva (Epic poetry) in a contemporary form and charm. He is immortalised by some of his phrases, and in particular for his contribution to Universal Humanism or in his own words
Vishwa maanavataa Vaada. He was conferred
Padma Bhushan by Government of India.
Biography
Early life and education
Kuvempu was born in Hirekodige,
Koppa taluk, of
Chikmagalur district to a native
Kannada family. He was brought up in a place in the lush Malenadu region of
Tirthahalli, called
Kuppali, of
Shivamogga district. His education began at his home by an appointed teacher from
Dakshina Kannada. He joined Anglo Vernacular school in
Tirthahalli to continue his middle school education. He lost his father
Venkatappa Gowda at the early age of 12 due to ill health. Kuvempu finished his lower and secondary education in
Kannada and
English in
Tirthahalli. He moved to
Mysore for further education and completed his high school from Weslian high school. He pursued his college studies in from Maharaja College of
Mysore and graduated in 1929 majoring in
Kannada. He married
Hemavathi on
30 April,
1937.
Later life
He had two sons and two daughters. Poornachendra Tejasvi, Kokilodaya Chaitra, Indukala and Tharini. Tharini is married to
K. Chidananda Gowda, the former Vice-Chancellor of
Kuvempu University. He responded poetically to even mundane events. When he got a car, he's quoted to have said, "Chakracharanake swagatha!" - Welcome to wheel footed! He named his house as "Udayaravi", "Rising Sun", called the farmer "uluva Yogi" the "tilling Yogi", and called for egalatarian society in his message "Sarvarige samapaalu, sarvarige samabaalu" "Equal share for all, Equal life for all". His "Raso Vai Saha" is a famous work of "kavya mimamsa", the "Principles of literary criticism", in the Kannada thought of twentieth century. He is credited for giving Kannada hundreds of new words, phrases and terminologies with distinctly precise ideas; literary, social, phylosophical and spiritual. This led to common people asking him to suggest a name for their newborns, for decades, through postal correspondece, which he obliged!
Career
Kuvempu began his academic career as a lecturer of
Kannada language at Maharaja College of
Mysore in
1929. He served as an assistant professor in central college of
Bangalore from
1936. He rejoined Maharaja college of
Mysore in
1946 as a professor. He went on to become a principal of Maharaja college in
1955. Soon in
1956 he was elected as the
Vice-Chancellor of
Mysore University where he served till retirement in
1960. He was the first graduate from
Mysore University to rise to that position.
Works and Message
Kuvempu started his literary work in
English first, with a collection of poetry called
Beginner's Mus, and later switched to
Kannada.
He spearheaded
Kannada as a medium for education, emphasizing the theme of "Education in Mother tongues". To cater to the needs of
Kannada research, he founded the
Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe (The Institute of Kannada Studies) in
Mysore University. As
Vice-Chancellor of
Mysore University, he pioneered the study of Basic Sciences and Languages. He also championed the Publishing of
knowledge for laymen, started by
G. Hanumanta Rao.
Kuvempu was more than a writer, and the way he lived his life was in itself a great message. He was against
casteism, meaningless practices and
rituals. Kuvempu's writings also reflect his resentment against the
caste system according to which the
shudras were unfit to attain knowledge. Kuvempu (from the
Vokkaliga community) also gives a different perspective to the characters in the
Ramayana unlike the portrayal of characters by
Valmiki in his
Sri Ramayana Darshanam which won him
Jnanpith Award. This work is the complete
Ramayana in
Kannada. It underscores his vision of
sarvodaya (Upliftment of One & All).
Rama of his
Ramayana personifies this when he tests himself along with his wife
Seeta, by jumping into the fire.
O nanna chetana, Agu nee aniketana (ಓ ನನ್ನ ಚೇತನ, ಆಗು ನೀ ಅನಿಕೇತನ ) which can be translated as "Be unhoused o my soul, only the infinite is your goal" is a very popular note by Kuvempu on Universal Humanism.
His speech during the convocation ceremony of
Bangalore University has been published in the book,
vichaarakranthige aahwaana. It calls for a re-assessment of developmental policies. Though it was delivered in
1974, the message is still considered relevant.
In the year
1987, a new university was started in
Shimoga district,
Karnataka in the name of Kuvempu. It is located in
Jnana Sahyadri campus, 28 km from
Shimoga.
His son
Poornachandra Tejaswi is a
polymath, contributing significantly to
Literature,
Photography,
Calligraphy,
Digital Imaging, Social Movements, and
Agriculture.
Further Information
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