Mandagadde Krishnarao Indira (5 January 1917 – 15 March 1994) was a well-known Indian novelist in the
Kannada language
Kannada () is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, an ...
. Her works include ''Phaniyamma'', which won various awards. She began writing novels at the age of forty-five.
[Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita (1991), p138] Some of her novels were made into movies.
Early life and education
Indira was born on 5 January 1917 to T. Suryanarayana Rao, a prosperous agriculturist and Banashankaramma in
Thirthahalli
Thirthahalli is a panchayat town located in the Shimoga district of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the river Tunga River, Tunga and is also the headquarters of the Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district.
Geography
Thirt ...
, in the
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a geopolitical realm in southern India founded in around 1399 in the vicinity of the modern-day city of Mysore and prevailed until 1950. The territorial boundaries and the form of government transmuted substantially ...
of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. Her native village was
Narasimharajapura
Narasimharajapura or NRpura is a town and taluk headquarter in Chikkmagaluru district, Karnataka, India. It is situated in the Malenadu region of the district. In 1915, Yuvaraja Shri Narasimharaja Wodeyar visited Yedehalli and in his memory, t ...
in
Chikmagalur district
Chikmagalur, officially Chikkamagaluru () is an administrative district in the Malnad subregion of Karnataka, India. It was called Kadur (''Cuddoor'') district till 1947. Coffee was first cultivated in India in Chikmagalur. The hills of Chikm ...
.
Her formal education lasted for seven years, before she married at age twelve to M. Krishna Rao. She studied
Kannada poetry
Kannada language, Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) is the language spoken in Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ, ಕರುನಾಡು). Karnataka has eight Jnanapeeth (ಜ್ಞಾನ ಪೀಠ ಪುರಸ್ಕೃತ) award winners, the highest honor ...
and also had a good knowledge of Hindi literature.
As said in one of her books, Indira met renowned writer
Triveni when she was in
Mandya
Mandya is a city in the state of Karnataka. It is the headquarter of Mandya district,
Sugar factories contribute to the major economic output. It is also called Sugar City (Kannada: ''Sakkare Nagara'') because sugarcane is a major crop grown ...
. Triveni appreciated her writing skills, which motivated her to write stories and novels, and then publish them in print media. She ventured into writing novels at age 45.
Career
Her first published novel was ''Tungabhadra'', released in 1963. This was followed by ''Sadananda'' (1965), ''
Gejje Pooje'' (1966) and ''Navaratna'' (1967). Her most well-known work is however ''Phaniyamma'', which was released in 1976. ''Phaniyamma'' is a novel based on the life of a child
widow
A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjecti ...
whom Indira knew during her childhood. Indira heard the story when the widow narrated it to Indira's mother.
[Barbara Koenig Quart (1988) p251] This novel has been a subject matter of discussion in many books related to
feminism
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...
. Indira has written more than fifty novels.
Gejje Pooje was made into a film by director
Puttanna Kanagal
Shubraveshti Ramaswamiah Seetharama Sharma (1 December 1933 – 5 June 1985), known popularly as S. R. Puttanna Kanagal, was an Indian filmmaker known for his work in Kannada cinema. He is often considered one of Indian cinema's most influent ...
in 1969. Phaniyamma was made into a film by the director
Prema Karanth, won many international awards.
Indira's other novels made into films are ''Hoobana'' (Mutthu ondu Mutthu), Giribale, Musuku and ''Poorvapara''.
Honors and awards
Indira's novels, ''Tungabhadra'', ''Sadananda'', ''Navaratna'' and ''Phaniyamma'' have won the Kannada Sahitya Akademi awards.
This annual award is given to the best Kannada literature of the year. Thejaswini Niranjana has translated ''Phaniyamma'' to
English, and this translation has won the
Sahitya Akademi of India award and more awards. In view of her contribution to literature, an award is constituted in Indira's name and is given to the best women writers.
, a neighborhood in Bengaluru, is named after her.
Novels and Short stories
* Sadananda
* Tungabhadra
* Gejjepooje
* Phaniyamma
* Giribale
* Madhuvana
* Mana Tumbida Madadi
* Hennina Akankshe
* Thaapadinda Thampige
* Bramhachari
* Kaladarshi
* Shantidhama
* Navaratna
* Ambarada Apsare
* Nagabeku
* Navajeevana
* Pavaada
* Kalpana Vilasa
* Dashavatara
* Susvagatha
* Baadigege
* Kathegara
* Abharana
* Mane Kottu Nodi
* Kanyakumari
* Rasavaahini
* Naagaveena
* Aathmasakhi
* Doctor
* Tapovanadalli
* Chidvilasa
* Jaathi Kettavalu
* Sukhaanta
* Yaru Hithavaru
* Hoobana
* Puttanna Kanagal
* Varnaleele
* Hasivu
* Bidige Chandrama Donku
* Koopa
* Koochu Bhatta
* Jaala
* Gunda
* Musuku
* Kavalu
* Mohanamaale
* Anubhava Kunja
* Noorondu Baagilu
* Taggina Mane Seethe
* Poorvapara
* Hamsagana
* Thaalidavaru
* Manomandira
* Vichitra Prema
* Onde Nimisha
* Pournami
* Bhaava Bandhana
Movies based on Indira's novels
Personal life
She died at the age of 77. M K Indira is younger sister of journalist T S Ramachandra Rao, better known as TSR of Choobaana (ಛೂಬಾಣ).
References
Sources
*
*
External links
Dr. Kamat's Article on M.K. Indira
{{DEFAULTSORT:Indira, M. K.
1917 births
1994 deaths
Kannada-language writers
20th-century Indian women writers
People from Shimoga district
Kannada people
Women writers from Karnataka
20th-century Indian novelists
Indian women novelists
Kannada poets