Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa

Born: 29 December 1904

Died: 11 November 1994

He popularly known by his pen name Kuvempu was an Indian novelist, poet, playwright, critic and thinker.
He is widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century.
He is the first among Kannada writers to be by decorated with the Jnanpith Award.
He studied at Mysuru 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 to Kannada Literature, the Government of Karnataka decorated him with the honorific Rashtrakavi (“National Poet”) in 1958 and Karnataka Ratna (“The Gem of Karnataka”) in 1992.
His epic narrative Sri Ramayana Darshanam, a modern rendition of the Indian Hindu epic Ramayana is regarded as the revival of the era of Mahakavya (“Great Epic Poetry”) in contemporary form and charm.
His writings and his contribution to “Universal Humanism” (in his own words, “Vishwamaanavata Vaada”) gives him a unique place in modern Indian literature.
He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 1988.
He penned the Karnataka State Anthem Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate.