Kuppalli Venkatappa Puttappa (29 December 1904 – 11 November 1994),[3] popularly known by hispen nameKuvempu//ⓘ, was an Indian poet, playwright, novelist and critic. He is widely regarded as the greatestKannada poet of the 20th century.[4][5][6][7][3][8] He was the first Kannada writer to receive theJnanpith Award.[9]
Kuvempu studied atMysuru University in the 1920s, taught there for nearly three decades and served as its vice-chancellor from 1956 to 1960. He initiated education in Kannada as the language medium. For his contributions toKannada Literature, theGovernment of Karnataka decorated him with the honorificRashtrakavi ("National Poet") in 1964 andKarnataka Ratna ("The Gem of Karnataka") in 1992. He was conferred thePadma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 1988. He penned the Karnataka State AnthemJaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate.
Kuvempu was born in Hirekodige, a village inKoppa taluk ofChikmagalur district and raised inKuppalli, a village inShivamogga district of the erstwhileKingdom of Mysore (now inKarnataka) into aKannada-speakingVokkaliga family.[7] His mother Seethamma hailed from Koppa, Chikmangalur, while his father Venkatappa was fromKuppali, a village inThirthahalli taluk (in present-dayShimoga district), where he was raised. He had two younger sisters, Danamma and Puttamma.[10][7] Early in his childhood, Kuvempu was home-schooled by an appointed teacher fromSouth Canara.[citation needed][11] He joined the Anglo-Vernacular school inThirthahalli to continue his middle school education. Kuvempu's father died when he was only twelve. He finished his lower and secondary education in Kannada and English languages in Thirthahalli and moved toMysore for further education at theWesleyan High School. Thereafter, he pursued college studies at theMaharaja College of Mysore and graduated in 1929, majoring inKannada.[12]
Kuvempu married Hemavathi on 30 April 1937. He was forced into enter marital life on this faculty out of Ramakrishna Mission.[13] Kuvempu has two sons,Poornachandra Tejaswi and Kokilodaya Chaitra, and two daughter, Indukala and Tharini. Tharini is married toK.Chidananda Gowda the former Vice-Chancellor ofKuvempu University.[13] His home in Mysore is calledUdayaravi. His son Poornachandra Tejaswi was a polymath, contributing significantly to Kannada literature, photography, calligraphy, digital imaging, social movements, and agriculture.[13]
Kuvempu began his academic career as a lecturer of Kannada language at theMaharaja's College inMysore in 1929. He worked as an assistant professor in the Central college,Bangalore from 1936. He re-joined Maharaja's college inMysore in 1946 as a professor. He went on to become the principal of the Maharaja's college in 1955. In 1956 he was selected as theVice-Chancellor ofMysore University where he served till retirement in 1960. He was the first graduate fromMysore University to rise to that position.[8]
To landmark the golden jubilee of Kannada's first Jnanapeeth award, on 29 December 2017, Kuvempu's 113th birth anniversary, Google India dedicated a Google Doodle in his honor.[18][19]
The childhood home of Kuvempu atKuppali has been converted into a museum by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Pratishtana (a trust dedicated to Kuvempu). This trust has undertaken immense developmental works in Kuppali to showcase Kuvempu and his works to the external world.[20] On the night of 23 November 2015, many valuables including thePadma Shri andPadma Bhushan awards conferred on poet laureate Kuvempu were stolen from Kavimane.[21][22][23]
The entire museum has been ransacked. The surveillance cameras there have also been damaged. The Jnanapith award kept there has remained intact.
^abcd"Culture p484-485"(PDF).A Handbook of Karnataka. Government of Karnataka. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 8 October 2011. Retrieved10 December 2010.
