Kannada Poet HS Venkatesha Murthy Passes Away At 81
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HS Venkatesha Murthy, a veteran Kannada poet, passed away at 81 in Bengaluru on Friday.
Kannada poet HS Venkatesha Murthy passed away at the age of 81 in Bengaluru on Friday. He was suffering from health problems related to old age.
His poetry was considered modern, yet deeply connected to traditional themes. Several of his poems were adapted into Bhaavageete — emotionally rich songs — during the Kannada Sugama Sangeeta (light music) era. Because his work was widely recorded and circulated on audio cassettes, he became known as one of the 'cassette poets" of that time.
He started his literary journey with his poetry collection Parivrutta in 1968 and continued writing for decades. One of his major works included Buddhacharana (2020), a full-length poetic retelling of the life and teachings of the Buddha.
He maintained his unique voice throughout evolving literary trends. As critic SR Vijayshankar observed, his effort to move beyond the shadow of Gopalakrishna Adiga — the leading figure of the Navya movement — led his poetry to resonate more with the styles of Pu.Thi. Narasimhachar and KS Narasimhaswamy.
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Hans India
2 days ago
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Eminent Kannada poet H S Venkatesha Murthy no more
Bengaluru: Acclaimed Kannada poet and playwright H S Venkatesha Murthy, widely known as 'HSV', died at a private hospital here on Friday, sources said. Murthy was 80. He had been suffering from age-related ailments. He is survived by four sons, they said. He was a prolific writer, who contributed significantly to Kannada literature as an essayist, playwright, novelist, children's literature author, translator, critic, poet, and film song-story-dialogue writer. Murthy dedicated more than three decades to teaching at St. Joseph's Commerce College in Bengaluru. Murthy's poetry is well-known in Karnataka and frequently sung in popular Sugama Sangeeta or Bhavageethe (musical genre in which poetry in the Kannada language is set to music) stages. He has also penned lyrics for films such as 'Chinnari Mutha', 'America America' and 'Kirik Party' among others. His major plays include Uriya Uyyale, Agnivarna and Manthare. Murthy is a recipient of many awards and accolades and was the president of the 85th All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Kalaburagi. He held a Doctorate of Literature for his research on 'Kannadadalli Kathana Kavanagalu'. Mourning Murthy's demise, the Karnataka government issued a notification ordering that his last rites be performed with full police honours. Expressing deep sorrow, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, Venkatesha Murthy, a distinguished writer with a vast readership, has left the literary world 'impoverished' by his departure. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar condoled the poet's death and noted that he enriched Kannada literature through his Bhavageethe.
Time of India
2 days ago
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Kannada writer HS Venkateshamurthy, 80, passes away
Bengaluru: Renowned Kannada professor and writer HS Venkateshamurthy passed away at a hospital here Friday morning due to age-related health complications. He was 80. Hodigere Shanbhog Venkateshamurthy – and more popular as his initials, HSV – wore many hats encompassing literary, music and cinema worlds. Born in a remote hamlet of Hodigere in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district in 1944, HSV obtained a master's degree in Kannada at Central College, Bengaluru, and a doctorate in Kannada literature. He was influenced by traditional artforms, including Yakshagana and Bayalaata, along with the works of literary giants Kuvempu, DR Bendre, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, Shivaram Karanth and Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar, among others. HSV credited KS Nisar Ahmed, eminent poet from the Navya movement, as his 'poetic guru'. Starting his literary journey with an anthology of poems 'Parivrutha', HSV dedicated the work to his Kannada teacher Narasimha Shastri. His creativity -- shaped by memories of vibrant rustic life, forts, and forests -- helped him blend the two phases (early and later) of Navya literature of Kannada. While some stories were successfully depicted on the silver screen, HSV's story, screenplay, and songs in the Kannada movie 'Chinnari Mutha' won a national film award. Subsequently, HSV wrote songs for 'Kotreshi Kanasu' (which also won an award), and 'America, America', 'Mythri', Shetty starrer 'Kirik Party', and recent movie 'Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, Side-B'. The title track of Kannada's famous tele serial 'Mukta', and songs such as 'Lokada Kannige Radheyu kooda…', 'Yeke Baradiruve Nanna Murali Mohana', 'Huchhu Kodi Manasu…', are hugely popular. He had won awards from Central Sahitya Akademi, Karnataka Sahitya Academy, 66th Filmfare South award for the best song, and Rajyotsava award. He chaired the 85th Kannada literary meeting in Kalaburagi in 2019. CM Siddaramaiah said HSV's death is a huge loss to the Kannada literary world. HSV was cremated with state honours in Bengaluru.
Time of India
3 days ago
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Kannada literary giant HS Venkateshamurthy (HSV) passes away in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Renowned Kannada professor, poet, playwright, lyricist, novelist, translator, and critic HS Venkateshamurthy passed away in Bengaluru on Friday morning. Murthy, aged 80, was admitted to a private hospital in Kengeri due to age-related health complications and breathed his last at around 7 am in Bengaluru. He is survived by four sons. Several of his works, including stories, songs, and screenplay-dialogues, won state and national awards. Melodious songs from the national award-winning children's film 'Chinnari Mutha', the song 'Baanalli Odo Megha…' from the movie 'America, America', and 'Thoogumachadalli Kootu…' from the blockbuster movie 'Kirik Party' were penned by Venkateshamurthy. Academically known as Dr Hodigere Shanbhog Venkateshamurthy, he was fondly referred to as 'HSV' by his initials in the literary, music, and cinema worlds. Born in a remote hamlet of Hodigere in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district in 1944, HSV obtained a master's degree in Kannada at the Central College Bengaluru and a PhD in Kannada literature. Working as a professor of Kannada at the St Joseph's College of Commerce in Bengaluru, HSV was influenced by traditional art forms, including Yakshagana and Bayalaata, along with the works of Kannada literary giants such as Kuvempu, Bendre, Maasthi, Karanth, Goruru Iyengar, and others. In fact, HSV fondly remembered Prof KS Nissar Ahmed, a prolific writer and poet of the Navya movement of Kannada literature, as his 'poetic guru'. Starting his literary journey with his first anthology of poems 'Parivrutha', HSV dedicated the work to his Kannada teacher Narasimha Shastri, who initiated him into Kannada literature. His creativity, shaped by the memories of rustic rural life, forts, nature, forests, rivers, and bustling markets, helped him blend the two phases (early and later) of popular Navya Literature of Kannada. Some of his poetic works include 'Onada Marada Giligalu', 'Sougandhika', 'Elegalu Nooraru', 'Agni Sthamba', and 'Eshtondu Mukha'. His translation work 'Rutuvilasa', based on the classical writer of Sanskrit Kavirathna Kalidasa's 'Rutusamhara', won accolades in literary circles. He penned hundreds of anthologies, short stories, and novels, and plays, and HSV forayed into Kannada theatre and cinema. While some of his stories were successfully depicted on the silver screen, HSV's story, screenplay, and songs in the movie 'Chinnari Mutha' won a national film award. Subsequently, HSV wrote songs for yet another award-winning movie 'Kotreshi Kanasu', Ramesh Aravind starrer 'America, America', Puneeth Rajkumar starrer 'Mythri', Rakshit Shetty starrer 'Kirik Party', and the recent blockbuster 'Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, Side-B'. His poems, set to tune by renowned musicians including C Ashwath, Raju Ananthaswamy, and others, have become popular songs in the Kannada light music world. The title track of Kannada's famous tele serial 'Mukta', and songs such as 'Lokada Kannige Radheyu kooda…', 'Yeke Baradiruve Nanna Murali Mohana', 'Huchhu Kodi Manasu…', 'Amma Naanu Devarane Benne Kaddilla….', and 'Aidu Beralu Koodi Mushtiyu…' (National diversity) were some of his all-time popular songs sung by many. His literary journey across fields brought him several recognitions, awards, and accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Academy, Karnataka Sahitya Academy, the 66th Filmfare South award for the best song, and the Rajyotsava award. He chaired the 85th All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana as President at Kalaburagi in 2019.
