Sumathendra Raghavendra Nadig (4 May 1935 – 7 August 2018) was an Indian professor and writer in

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 ...

. Nadig came upon the literary scene as a prominent modern poet in the 1960s. He was a close associate of Gopalakrishna Adiga, the leader of the modernist movement. Nadig's "Dampatya Gita" has been translated into English, Hindi, Bengali and other Indian languages. His other major poem, "Panchabhut", is considered to be an important and original contribution to modern Indian literature. His poetic achievement has been acknowledged by poets including Gopalakrishna Adiga, Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar, Ayyappa Panikar, Sitanshu Yashaschandra, Manohar Rai Sardesai, and G. S. Shivrudrappa; writers including S. L. Bhyrappa and U. R. Anantha Murthy; and scholars including

Kapila Vatsyayan Kapila Vatsyayan (25 December 1928 – 16 September 2020) was a leading scholar of Indian classical dance, art, architecture, and art history. She served as a member of parliament and bureaucrat in India, and also served as the founding directo ...

and Sibnarayan Ray. Nadig had two master's degrees in English, one from Mysore University and the other from Temple University (US). He also received a PhD in Kannada from Bangalore University and an honorary doctorate, "Shabda Marthand", from Gurukul Kangri University, Hardwar. He had received many awards, including the Karnataka Rajyothsava Prashsti, Dinakara Pratisthana Prashasti, V. M. Inamdar Prashsti, and M.V.Si. Puraskara. He was the Chairman of National Book Trust from 1996 to 1999. He was well known for his critical studies of Bendre, K.S. Narasimha Swamy and Adiga, and short stories and nursery rhymes, and translations from Bengali to Kannada, and from Kannada to English. He knew Kannada, English, Hindi, Marathi, Konkani, and Bengali.

Personal life

Sumatheendra Nadig was married to Malathi and had three children. He died on 7 August 2018, at the age of 83.

Awards

* Bala Sahitya Puraskara by

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of the Indian government. Its off ...

in 2016 * Kempe Gowda Award,

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was the administrative body responsible for civic amenities and some infrastructural assets of the Greater Bangalore, Greater Bengaluru metropolitan area. It was the fourth List of municipal corporat ...

, July 2007 * Sri Krishna Prashasti, conferred by Sri Sri Pejawara * Viswesha Tirtha Swamiji, June 2007 * Vijayeendra Puraskara, conferred by Sri Sri * Sushameendra Teertha Swamiji, July 2007 * Niranjana Prashasti, 2006 * Aryabhata Award, 2005 * Visweswariah Sahitya Prashasti, 2005 * M.Vi.See, Sahitya Puraskar, 2004 * Sahitya Siri Award, Chickmagalur Jilla Sahitya Parishat, 2002 * UGC Emeritus Fellow, March 2000 – 2002 * Chairman, National Book Trust, India, October 1996 – October 1999 * Award for Translation–Karnataka Sahitya Akademi, 1999 * Awarded 'Vidya Marthanda' honorary degree: Gurukul * Kangri University, 1997, Haridwar, delivered the convocation address * V.M. Inamdar Vimarsha Prashasti, 1995 * Rajyotsava Award – Govt. of Karnataka, 1995 * Award for translation – Karnataka Sahitya Akademi, 1994 * Sahitya Akademi Travel Grant, 1991 * Dinakar Pratishthana Award, 1990 * U.G.C. Short Term Research Grant, 1998 * Award for Translation–Karnataka Sahitya Akademi, 1997 * Best Fiction Award – ‘Sudha’ Novel Competition, 1997

Academic and professional experience

* Visiting Professor, Viswa-Bharati, Shantiniketan, October–December 1997 * Visiting Fellow, Jadhavpur University, Calcutta, November 1991 – March 1992 * Reader in English, Bangalore University, 1989–95 * Senior Executive, Bappco Publication, Bangalore 1975–80 * Part-time faculty of the Department of English, Temple University, Philadelphia, 1972–74 * Instructor in English, Haverford College, Haverford, 1973 * Professor and Head of the Department of English, St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, Goa, 1965–197 * Visiting Professor, Bombay University Post-Graduate Centre, Panjim, Goa, 1965–1971. * Lecturer in English at Margo, Bombay and Belgaum, 1957–65.

Literary works

Books published in Kannada

Poetry

* Jada Mattu Chetana, 2005 * Pancha Bhootagalu, 2000 * Samagra Kavya, 1998 * Nataraja Kanda Kamanabillu, 1994 * Kuhoo Gita, 1992. * Tamashe Padyagalu, 1992, 1998 * Dampatya Gita, 1987 (translated into Sanskrit, English, Bengali, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Marathi) * Bhava Loka, 1983 * Udghatane, 1978 * Kappu Devate, 1970 * Nimma Premakumariya Jataka, 1964

Criticism

* Mounadaacheya Maatu, 2007 * Nalkaneya Sahitya Charitre, 2005 * Mattondu Sahitya Charitre, 2002, 2004 * Bendreyavara Kavyada Vibhinna Nelegalu, 1989, 1998 * Adigaru Mattu Navyakavya, 1968, 75, 98, 2006 (reserved) * Innondu Sahitya Charitre, 1999 * Heegondu Sahitya Charitre, 1995 * Vimarsheya Dariyalli, 1994 * Kavya Endarenu, 1994

Children's books

* Dakkanakka Dakkana, 2005 * Dhruva Mattu Prahlada, 2003 * Didilak Didilak, 2002 * Goobeya Kathe, 2000, 2003 * Ili Maduve, 1999 * Galipata, 1999, 2004 * Sahasa (a novel), serialised in 1978, in book form 1979, 1998 * Hannondu Hamsagalu (a play), 1987

Short stories

* Sthithaprajna, 1996 * Aayda Kathegalu, 1992 (textbook for B.A., BSc and B.Com. students of Bangalore University 1992–1993) * Gili Mattu Dumbi, 1985 * Karkotaka, 1975, 1998 Some of his stories have been translated into Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Oriya and English.

Translations

From English to Kannada: * Radhanath Ray, 1991 – Sahitya Akademi * Sindhi Sahitya Charitre, 1981 – Sahitya Akademi * Dickens 'Hard Times', 1981 (with Venugopala Soraba) * Aristophane's 'Birds', 1990 * Ruskin's 'Unto The Last', 1979 * Strindberg's 'Miss Julie', 1979 * Ionesco's 'Bokka Taleya Nartaki', 1974 From Bengali to Kannada: * Tagore's 'Tin Sangi', 1998 * Nirendranath Chakravarthi's 'Ulang Raja', 1996 * Poems from Bengal, 2002

Books published in English

* Selected poems of Gopalaksirhna Adiga; Sahitya Akademi, 2005 * Veerappa Moily's novel 'On to the Great Beyond', 2003 * The Buddha Smile with P. Sreenivas Rao * A House of Thousand Doors * Poems of G. S. Shivarudrappa * 20th Century Kannada Poetry with an introduction by Nissim Ezekiel * Selected Kannada Short Stories and Jnanapeeth Laureatres of Karnataka (with L. S. Seshagiri Rao) * Roots and Wings (Poems of P. Sreenivasa Rao), 2007 * Complete works of P. Sreenivasa Rao, 2002 * Critical Studies of S. L. Bhyrappa's Works, 2002

References

External links

Sumatheendra Nadig works on Bendre

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nadig, Sumatheendra R 1935 births 2018 deaths Indian socialists Kannada-language writers Bangalore University alumni People from Chikmagalur district University of Mysore alumni Writers from Bengaluru 20th-century Indian poets 20th-century Indian short story writers 20th-century Indian translators 20th-century Indian novelists Novelists from Karnataka Poets from Karnataka 20th-century Indian male writers 2000-related lists