Celebrating Kannada Novelist Kuvempu's (Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa) 113th Birthday

Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa, popularly known as Kuvempu/ ಕುವೆಂಪು was novelist, poet, playwright, critic and thinker. He is one the greatest Kannada Poet of the 20th century and first among Kannada writers to be honoured with prestigious Jnanpith Award.

Kuvempu was born on 29 December 1904 Kuppalli Village, Thirthahalli Taluk, Shimoga district and grew up in the Malenadu region of Tirthahalli. After completing his college studies at the Maharaja College of Mysore and graduated in 1929, majoring in Kannada he began his career as a lecturer of Kannada language at the Maharajas College in Mysore in 1929. Later he went on to become the principal of the Maharajas college in 1955. Nearly after 2 decades of teaching, he rose to be the Vice-Chancellor of the University (1956-60).

Awards and Honours

1. Karnataka Ratna ("Gem of Karnataka") in 1992: He was honoured with Karnataka Ratna by Karnataka government 

2. Padma Vibhushan in 1988: He was awarded Padma Vibhushan by Government of India

3. Pampa Award (1987)

4. Jnanpith Award (1967): He is the first among Kannada writers to be honoured with the prestigious Jnanpith Award.

5. Rashtrakavi ("National Poet") (1964): He was honoured with Rashtrakavi by Karnataka government in 1964.

6. Padma Bhushan (1958): He was also awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

7. Sahitya Akademi Award (1955): Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour to writers for significant contribution to Indian languages.

Some Famous Works by Kuvempu

Epic

Sri Ramayana Darshanam/ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಾಯಣ ದರ್ಶನಂ - Volume-01 (1949), Volume-02 (1957)

Chitrangada/ಚಿತ್ರಾಂಗದಾ

Novels

Kaanuru Heggadati/ಕಾನೂರು ಹೆಗ್ಗಡತಿ (1936)

Malegalalli Madumagalu/ಮಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮದುಮಗಳು (1967)

Essays

Birugaali/ಬಿರುಗಾಳಿ (1930)

Shoodra Tapaswi/ಶೂದ್ರ ತಪಸ್ವಿ (1944)

Poems

Kolalu/ಕೊಳಲು (1930)

Movies

Kanooru Heggadithi (directed by Girish Karnad).

Collection of stories

Sanyaasi Mattu Itare Kathegalu (1937)

Nanna Devaru Mattu Itara Kathegalu (1940)

Biography

Swami Vivekananda(1932)

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1934)

 

Kavimane — Kuvempu Memorial

Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishtana (a trust dedicated to Kuvempu) converted his childhood home at Kuppalli into a museum to showcase Kuvempu and his works to the external world. On November 23, 2015, night, many valuables including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards conferred on poet laureate Kuvempu were stolen from Kavimane. The entire museum has been ransacked but interestingly the Jnanapith award kept there has remained intact.