K. Shivarama Karanth ( Makers of Indian Literature )

Kota Shivarama Karanth

Kota Shivarama Karanth (1902-97) was born in a small village called Kota in Kundapur Taluk of coastal Karnataka. Karanth's literary output spanning over eight decades is truly prodigious and multifaceted: both in Kannada and English, he has written, in all 417 works in different genres. As a novelist, Karanth's genius lay in his sensitive understanding and successful portrayal of the vast changes that swept through the Indian society due to colonial experience. Also, Karanth enriched modern Kannada literature with his travelogues, plays, autobiographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries and critical works. He also focussed on Karnataka culture by writing five books in English on folk-art, painting, visual art and coastal Karnataka.

Dr. Karanth, a recipient of many Awards and Honours, received the Jnanpith Award in 1978, for his novel Mookajjiya Kanasugalu. Both Sahitya Akademi and Sangeet Natak Akademi conferred 'Fellowship' on him in 1985 and 1973 respectively. The Government of India honoured him with 'Padma Bhushan’, which he returned in 1975 in protest against the imposition of emergency in the country by the then Prime Minister of India.

Dr. C. N. Ramachandran

Dr. C. N. Ramachandran, M. A., LL.B. & Ph.D. has taught English language and literature in various universities in India and abroad. He retired as ‘Professor Emeritus’ from Mangalore University. Primarily .a critic-translator, he has published in both ‘English (10 works) and Kannada (20 works). His works in English include: a study of British drama (Shifting Perspectives), collection of critical articles (For Réasons of Their Own), and monographs on Triveni and Shivarama Karanth. Some of his works in Kannada include Post-colonial discourse (Vasahatottara Chintane), a study of 25 oral epics (Hosa Madiya Mele Chaduranga), and culture criticism (Akhyana-Vyakhyana). He has translated ten works from Kannada to English. His awards include besides the 'Central Sahitya Akademi Award' for Akhyana-Vyakhyana(2014) Karnataka Rajyotsava Award(2007), Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award (2001), Katha-award for translation(1994), and K. K. Birla Fellowship(2005).