Kota Shivaram Karanth (10 October 1902 – 9 December 1997), also abbreviated as K. Shivaram Karanth, was an Indian author, who was a novelist in

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 ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

and an ecological conservationist.

Ramachandra Guha Ramachandra "Ram" Guha (born 29 April 1958) is an Indian historian, environmentalist, writer and public intellectual whose research interests include social, political, contemporary, environmental and cricket history. He is an important autho ...

called him the "Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India, who has been one of the finest novelists-activists since independence". He was the third writer to be decorated with the

Jnanpith Award The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian ...

for

Kannada Kannada () is a 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, and is additionally a ...

, the highest literary honor conferred in India. His son Ullas is an ecological conservationist.

Early life

Shivaram Karanth was born on 10 October 1902, in Kota near

Kundapur Kundapra, officially Kundapura, is a town in the Udupi district of Karnataka state in India. This town was known as Coondapoor when it was part of the erstwhile South Canara district (1862–1947) of the Madras Presidency of British India. Pr ...

a in the

Udupi district Udupi district (also Udipi () in Kannada or Odipu () in Tulu language) is an administrative subdivision in the Karnataka state of India, with the district headquarters in the city of Udupi. It is situated in the Canara old north Malabar c ...

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

to a

-speaking

Smartha The ''Smarta'' tradition (, ) is a movement in Hinduism that developed and expanded with the Puranas genre of literature. It reflects a synthesis of four philosophical strands, namely Uttara Mīmāṃsā, Advaita, Yoga, and theism. The Smar ...

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

family. The fifth child of his parents Shesha Karantha and Lakshmamma, he completed his primary education in

Kundapura Kundapra, officially Kundapura, is a town in the Udupi district of Karnataka state in India. This town was known as Coondapoor when it was part of the erstwhile South Canara district (1862–1947) of the Madras Presidency of British India. Pr ...

and

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

. Shivaram Karanth was influenced by Gandhi's principles and took part in the

Indian Independence movement The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events in South Asia with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British colonial rule. It lasted until 1947, when the Indian Independence Act 1947 was passed. The first nationalistic ...

when he was in college. His participation in the

Non-cooperation movement Non-cooperation movement may refer to: * Non-cooperation movement (1919–1922), during the Indian independence movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule * Non-cooperation movement (1971), a movement in East Pakistan * Non-cooperatio ...

did not allow him to complete his college education which he quit in February 1922. He canvassed for

khadi Khadi (, ), derived from khaddar, is a hand-spun and woven natural fibre cloth promoted by Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi as Swadeshi movement, ''swadeshi (of homeland)'' for the freedom struggle of India and the term is used throughout the Indian sub ...

and

swadeshi The Swadeshi movement was a self-sufficiency movement that was part of the Indian independence movement and contributed to the development of Indian nationalism. Before the BML Government's decision for the partition of Bengal was made public in ...

in Karnataka led by

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

leader

Karnad Sadashiva Rao Karnad Sadashiva Rao was an Indian independence movement, Indian freedom fighter from what is now Karnataka, India. Rao was born to a wealthy south Indian family in 1881. He studied at Presidency College in Madras and also studied law in Mum ...

, for five years till 1927. By that time, Karanth had already started writing fiction novels and plays.

Career

Karanth began writing in 1924 and soon published his first book, ''Rashtrageetha Sudhakara'', a collection of poems. His first novel was ''Vichitrakoota''. Subsequent works like ''Nirbhagya Janma'' ("Unfortunate Birth") and ''Sooleya Samsara'' ("Family of a Prostitute") mirrored the pathetic conditions of the poor. His magnum opus ''Devaddhootaru'', a satire on contemporary India, was published in 1928. Karanth was an intellectual and environmentalist who made notable contribution to the art and culture of

. He is considered one of the most influential novelists in the Kannada language. His novels ''Marali Mannige'', ''Bettada Jeeva'', ''Alida Mele'', ''Mookajjiya Kanasugalu'', ''Mai Managala Suliyalli'', ''Ade OOru Ade Mara'', ''Shaneeshwarana Neralinalli'', ''Kudiyara Koosu'', ''Svapnada Hole'', ''Sarsammana Samadhi'', and ''Chomana Dudi'' are widely read and have received critical acclaim. He wrote two books on Karnataka's ancient stage dance-drama ''

Yakshagana Yakshagana is a traditional theatre, found in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kasaragod district and Uttara Kannada, Shimoga and western parts of Chikmagalur district, Chikmagalur districts, in the state of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district in Keral ...

'' (1957 and 1975). He was involved in experiments involving the technique of printing for some years in the 1930s and 1940s and printed his own novels, but incurred financial losses. He was also a painter and was deeply concerned with the issue of nuclear energy and its impact on the environment.A walk through the life of Karanth – KARNATAKA
The Hindu (26 February 2013). Retrieved on 2018-11-15. At the age of 90, he wrote a book on birds (published during 2002 by Manohara Grantha Mala, Dharwad). He wrote, apart from his forty-seven novels, thirty-one plays, four short story collections, six books of essays and sketches, thirteen books on art, two volumes of poems, nine encyclopedias, and over one hundred articles on various issues. His ''Mookajjiya Kanasugalu'' novel won Jnanpith award.

Personal life

Karanth married Leela Alva, a student in the school that Karanth taught dance and directed plays in. Leela belonged to the Bunt community and was the daughter of a businessman, K. D. Alva. They married on 6 May 1936. The couple subsequently attracted ridicule from people in the region over their

inter-caste marriage Intercaste marriage (ICM), also known as marrying out of caste, is a form of Exogamy, exogamous nuptial union that involve two individuals belonging to different castes. Intercaste marriages are particularly perceived as Acceptance, socially unacce ...

; Karanth belonged to an orthodox

community, but had become an

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

after cutting his

sacred thread ''Upanayana'' () is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' or ''acharya'', and an individual's initiation into a school in ...

at a young age. Leela, who had her early education in

Marathi language Marathi (; , 𑘦𑘨𑘰𑘙𑘲, , ) is a Classical languages of India, classical Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is also spoken in Goa, and parts of Guj ...

, re-learnt Kannada after marriage and translated the Marathi novel '' Pan Lakshat Kon Gheto'' into Kannada. As a dancer, she participated in Karanth's operas. The Karanths had four children together: sons, Harsha and Ullas, a conservationist; and daughters, Malavika and Kshama. His mother's influence on Karanth was described by Ullas as: "It was our mother who shaped Karanth's life... She was the backbone of all his endeavours. She was also quite well-read, and she dedicated all of her talents to her husband. She took care of all household responsibilities." The family lived in the

Puttur, Karnataka Puttur (Pronunciation:) is a city in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka state in India. The Puttur Shree Mahalingeshwara Temple is located here. Geography Puttur is located at . It has an average elevation of . Puttur is situated sout ...

town of

Dakshina Kannada Dakshina Kannada district is located in the states and territories of India, state of Karnataka in India, with its headquarters in the coastal city of Mangaluru. The district covers an area nestled in between the Western Ghats to its east and the ...

, a district in the South Karnataka region, before moving to

Saligrama A shaligram, or shaligrama shila ( deva, शालिग्राम शिला; IAST: ''Śāligrāma-śilā''), is a fossilized stone or ammonite collected from the riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in ...

, a town from Karanth's birthplace Kota, in 1974. A few years prior to this, their eldest son Harsha died leaving Leela suffer from "depression and hallucinations". Leela died in September 1986. It was also the year that Karanth's final novel was published. Karanth was admitted to

Kasturba Medical College Kasturba Medical College, Manipal and Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru, together known as KMC, are two private medical colleges in the state of Karnataka, India, established in 1953 and 1955. The colleges are constituent units of Manipal A ...

Manipal 300px, The house of T. M. A. Pai located in Manipal; it has since been converted to a museum. Manipal is a suburb and university town within Udupi, in coastal Karnataka, India. Manipal is located five kilometres away from the centre of Udupi C ...

on 2 December 1997 to be treated for viral fever. He suffered from a cardiac

respiratory arrest Respiratory arrest is a serious medical condition caused by apnea or respiratory dysfunction severe enough that it will not sustain the body (such as agonal breathing). Prolonged apnea refers to a patient who has stopped breathing for a long period ...

two days later and slipped into a coma. On 9 December, his kidneys began to fail and he subsequently developed severe

acidosis Acidosis is a biological process producing hydrogen ions and increasing their concentration in blood or body fluids. pH is the negative log of hydrogen ion concentration and so it is decreased by a process of acidosis. Acidemia The term ac ...

and

sepsis Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage of sepsis is followed by suppression of the immune system. Common signs and s ...

, following which he was put on

dialysis Dialysis may refer to: * Dialysis (chemistry), a process of separating molecules in solution **Electrodialysis, used to transport salt ions from one solution to another through an ion-exchange membrane under the influence of an applied electric po ...

. Efforts to revive him failed and he died at 11:35 a.m. (

IST #REDIRECT Ist {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...

) the following day, aged 95. The

government of Karnataka The Government of Karnataka, abbreviated as GoK or GoKA, formerly known as Government of Mysore (1956–1974), is a democratically elected state body with the governor as the ceremonial head to govern the Southwest Indian state of Karnataka ...

declared a two-day

mourning Mourning is the emotional expression in response to a major life event causing grief, especially loss. It typically occurs as a result of someone's death, especially a loved one. The word is used to describe a complex of behaviors in which t ...

in the State as a mark of respect.

Popularity

Many of Karanth's novels have been translated into other Indian languages. Marali Mannige got translated to English by Padma Ramachandra Sharma, has been conferred the State Sahitya Akademi award.

Memorial

Shivarama Karantha Balavana

Shivarama Karantha Balavana is notable for its fame under the name of the Jnanapeeta awardee Dr. K. Shivarama Karantha, who lived in Puttur. In his memory his home now houses a museum, a park, and a recreation center.

Literary and national honors

Jnanapith Award The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian w ...

– 1978 *

Sahitya Akademi Fellowship The Sahitya Akademi Fellowship is a literary honour in India bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.Quote: "In his acceptance speech when India's National Academy of Letters (Sahitya Akademi) in 1997 conferred its h ...

– 1985 *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, also known as Akademi Ratna Sadasyata, is an Indian honour for the performing arts presented by Sangeet Natak Akademi. It is "the most prestigious and rare honour" conferred by the Akademi and is "restricte ...

– 1973 *

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

– 1968 (He returned his

honour in protest against the

Emergency An emergency is an urgent, unexpected, and usually dangerous situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment and requires immediate action. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening ...

imposed in India) *

Sahitya Akademi Award The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...

– 1959 *

Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award is an annual literary award given to literary works in Kannada by the Karnataka Sahitya Academy. Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award is given to individual books published in various genres like poetry, novel, short f ...

Rajyotsava Prashasti The Rajyotsava Prashasti or Rajyotsava Award, the second highest civilian honor of the Karnataka state of India are conferred annually by the Karnataka Government on the occasion of the establishment of the state on 1 November, celebrated as th ...

– 1986 * Sangeet Natak Award *

Pampa Award The Pampa Award (or Pampa Prashasti) is a literary award in the Indian state of Karnataka. The award was established in 1987 by the government of Karnataka. It is the highest literary honor conferred by the Department of Kannada and Culture, Go ...

– 1989 *

Swedish Academy The Swedish Academy (), founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. Its 18 members, who are elected for life, comprise the highest Swedish language authority. Outside Scandinavia, it is best known as the body t ...

award * Tulsi Samman – 1990 * Dadabhai Nauroji Award – 1990 * Honorary Doctorates from

Mysore University The University of Mysore is a public state university in Mysore, Karnataka, India. The university was founded during the reign of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and the premiership of Sir M. Visvesvaraya. The university is recognised by t ...

, Meerut University,

Karnatak University Karnatak University (KUD) is a public university, public State university (India), state university in Dharwad, Karnataka, India. KUD was officially established in 1950 through the Karnatak University Act, 1949, passed by the legislature of t ...

and others.

Film Awards

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

– National Film Award for Best Story Writer – ''

Chomana Dudi ''Chomana Dudi'' (, ) is a 1975 Indian Kannada-language drama film directed by B. V. Karanth and starring M. V. Vasudeva Rao and Padma Kumta. It is based on a novel of the same name, written by Shivaram Karanth. The film was released in the ...

'' *

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

– National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention – ''

Bettada Jeeva ''Bettada Jeeva'' is a National Award-winning (2011) Kannada film directed by P. Sheshadri starring H. G. Dattatreya, Suchendra Prasad, Rameshwari Varma and others. The story is based on Jnanpith awardee K. Shivaram Karanth's novel. It depicts th ...

Writings

Novels * '' Mookajjiya Kanasugalu'' ("Dreams of Mookajji Granny") (

Jnanpith award The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian ...

winning novel) * '' Marali Mannige'' ("Back to the Soil") * ''Chomana Dudi'' ("Drum of Choma") * '' Mai Managala Suliyalli'' ("In the Whirlpool of Body and Soul") * ''

'' ("Life in the Hills") * '' Sarasammana Samadhi'' ("Grave of Sarasamma") * '' Dharmarayana Samsara'' ("Family of Dharmaraya") * '' Alida Mele'' ("After Death") * '' Kudiyara Kusu'' ("Infant of Kudiya") * '' Mailikallinodane Matukate'' ("Conversation with the Milestone") * '' Chiguridha Kanasu'' * '' Mugida Yudda'' ("Completed War") * ''Moojanma'' * ''Dharmarayana Samsara'' * ''Kevala Manushyaru'' * ''Illeyamba'' * ''Iddaru Chinthe'' * ''Navu Kattida Swarga'' * ''Nashta Diggajagalu'' * ''Kanniddu Kanaru'' * ''Gedda Doddasthike'' * ''Kannadiyalli Kandatha'' * ''Antida Aparanji'' * ''Halliya Hattu Samastharu'' * ''Sameekshe'' * ''Moga Padeda Mana'' * ''Shaneeshwarana Neralinalli'' * ''Nambidavara Naka Naraka'' * ''Oudaryada Urulalli'' * ''Onti Dani'' * ''Odahuttidavaru'' * ''Swapnada Hole'' * ''Jaruva Dariyalli'' * ''Ukkida Nore'' * ''Balveye Belaku'' * ''Ala Nirala'' * ''Gondaranya'' * ''Ade Uru Ade Mara'' * ''Innonde Dari'' * ''Jagadoddara Na'' * ''Bathada Thore'' Science Books * ''Nature, Science and Environment'' * ''Vijnana prapancha'' ("The World of Science") * ''Adbhuta jagattu'' ("Wonderful World") * ''Prani Prapancha'' * ''Prani Prapanchada Vismayagalu'' * ''Pakshigala Adbhuta Loka'' Plays * ''Yaksagana'' – English translation, Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (1997) * ''Yakshagana Bayalata'' Children's books * ''Dum Dum Dolu'' * ''Oduva Ata'' * ''Vishala Sagaragalu'' * ''Balaprapancha – Makkalavishwakosha'' – Vol 1,2,3 * ''Mailikallinodane Matukathegalu'' * ''Mariyappana Sahasagalu'' * ''Nachiketa – Ack'' * ''Ibbara Gaja Panditaru'' * ''Oduva Ata – Sirigannada Pathamale'' * ''Mathina Sethuve'' * ''Jatayu Hanumanta'' * ''Huliraya'' Autobiography * ''Hucchu Manasina Hatthu Mukhagalu'' (English translation: "Ten Faces of a Crazy Mind", by H Y Sharada Prasad) * ''Smriti Pataladinda'' (Vol 1–3) Travelogue * ''Abuvinda Baramakke'' * ''Arasikaralla'' * ''Apoorva Paschima'' ("Incomparable West") * ''Paataalakke Payana'' ("Travel to the nether world") Biography * ''Panje Mangesharayaru : Kannada Nadu Mattu Kannadigara Parampare'' * ''Sri Ramakrishnara Jeevana Charithre'' Art, Architecture and Other * ''Kaladarshana'' * ''Bharatheya Chitrakale'' * ''Jnana'' ("Knowledge") * ''Sirigannada Artha Kosha'' * ''Kala Prapancha'' * ''Yaksharangakkagi Pravasa'' * ''Arivina Ananda'' * ''Life The Only Light – A Guide To Saner Living'' * ''Chalukya Shilpakale'' Translations * ''NammaSuttalina Kadalu - translation of Rachel Carsons The Sea Around Us''

Kannada and Cinema

* ''

'' * ''

Chigurida Kanasu ''Chigurida Kanasu'' () is a 2003 Indian Kannada-language film directed by T. S. Nagabharana and starring Shiva Rajkumar, Anant Nag, Vidhya Venkatesh, Rekha Unnikrishnan and Avinash. It is based on the 1951 novel of the same name by legendary ...

'' * ''Maleya Makkalu'' (from Kudiyara Koosu Novel) * ''

'' * '' 8 September (Tulu)'' * '' Mookajjiya Kanasugalu''