D. V. Gundappa
Encyclopedia
Devanahalli Venkataramanaiah Gundappa (Padmabhushan Dr. D V Gundappa) , popularly known as DVG, was a prominent Kannada writer and a philosopher. He is renowned for Manku Thimmana Kagga
, a collection of verses.
district in the India
n state of Karnataka
. DVG completed his primary school education in Kannada in the year 1898. He also attained basic education in English apart from learning Sanskrit
on own interest. Later he continued his education in Mysore from the Maharaja high school. Even though DVG did not pass matriculation exam (10th Standard), he had discontinued formal education after matriculation, his essays were selected as chapters for Graduation text books and PhD thesis. He had vast knowledge in these areas:
His Mankuthimmana Kagga is considered a Nobel prize winning material, if it had been written in English. The greatness of this work is that—it makes the reader see himself through the poems, to interpret the thoughts of the poet in his own way. The philosophy hidden in these short 4 liners is suited for any section of the society regardless of their religion, status, qualification etc. Basically it is for the entire humanity, such is the vastness and depth of DVG’s most of the literary works.
He was closely associated with the Gokale institute of Public Affairs, Bangalore. Sri Nittoor Srinivasa Rao, The then Chief Justice of Karnataka, Sri Masti Venkatesa Iyengar, Literary Genius, Prof.V.T.Srinivasan, The then Principal of Vijaya College, Bangalore were some of his close associates.
DVG died on 7 October 1975. Chief Minister and several minsters of the state of Karnataka came to pay their last respects at his residence in Nagasandra road (now called DVG Road) in Basavanagudi.
In early 2002/03, a statue was erected to honor Dr DVG in Basavanagudi, Bugle Rock Park (behind Sri. Ganapathi Temple). Dr DVG's son late Dr BGL Swamy
was a scholar and professor, taught Botany at University of Madras. Dr DVG's 2 daughters were accomplished social-elites.
Manku Thimmana Kagga
Mankuthimmana Kagga, composed by Dr. D. V. Gundappa and published in 1943, is one of the best known of the major literary works in Kannada. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece among the Kannada speaking population of southern India, and is referred to as the Bhagavad Gita in Kannada...
, a collection of verses.
Early life
DVG was born in the year 1887 in Mulabagilu taluk of KolarKolar
Kolara is a city in the South Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Kolar District. It is known for being one of the gold mining sites in India....
district in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. DVG completed his primary school education in Kannada in the year 1898. He also attained basic education in English apart from learning Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
on own interest. Later he continued his education in Mysore from the Maharaja high school. Even though DVG did not pass matriculation exam (10th Standard), he had discontinued formal education after matriculation, his essays were selected as chapters for Graduation text books and PhD thesis. He had vast knowledge in these areas:
- Veda, Vedanta, BrahmaSutra, DharmaSutra
- Sanskrit, Kannada, and other Indian languages.
- Political situation of Karnataka
- Ramayana and Mahabharata
- Engineering (was assistant of Sir. M. Vishveshwaraiah, who engineered the K.R.S Dam, which was the largest Dam in Asia at that time)
- Freedom fighters (Had been associated with Mahatma Gandhi and Lokamanya Tilak)
- Western Literature (has translated several Shakespeare plays and other Greek plays to Kannada)
- Islamic literature (Umarana osage, a translation of poems of Omar Khayyam in Kannada)
His Mankuthimmana Kagga is considered a Nobel prize winning material, if it had been written in English. The greatness of this work is that—it makes the reader see himself through the poems, to interpret the thoughts of the poet in his own way. The philosophy hidden in these short 4 liners is suited for any section of the society regardless of their religion, status, qualification etc. Basically it is for the entire humanity, such is the vastness and depth of DVG’s most of the literary works.
He was closely associated with the Gokale institute of Public Affairs, Bangalore. Sri Nittoor Srinivasa Rao, The then Chief Justice of Karnataka, Sri Masti Venkatesa Iyengar, Literary Genius, Prof.V.T.Srinivasan, The then Principal of Vijaya College, Bangalore were some of his close associates.
DVG died on 7 October 1975. Chief Minister and several minsters of the state of Karnataka came to pay their last respects at his residence in Nagasandra road (now called DVG Road) in Basavanagudi.
Poems
- Kavite
- Nivedana
- Umarana Osage
- Mankuthimmana Kagga
- Marula Muniyana Kagga
- Shri Rama PareekShaNaM
- Antahpura Geete
- Geetha Shaakuntala
Essay
- Jeevana saundarya mattu saahitya
- Saahitya Shakti
- Samskruti
- Baaligondu Nambike
- Gnapaka chitra shaale
Others
- Purushasookta
- Devaru
- Rutha, Satya mattu Dharma
- Eshavasya Upanishat
- Halavu mahaneeyaru
- Mysorina Divanaru
- Kalopasakaru
Mankuthimmana Kagga
Dr. D. V. G in his later years also came up with second innings for Mankuthimmana Kagga known as Maralu Muniyana Kagga. Another famous work of Dr. D. V. Gundappa is Srimad BhagavadGeeta Tatparya or Jeevana Dharma Yoga which has received Kendra Sahitya Academy award.Awards and honours
Dr. DVG was awarded Padmabhushan by the Government of India in 1974. The State of Karnataka under Chief Minister Sri Veerandra Patil honored him for his services to Kannada Literature in 1970 at Ravindra Kalkshetra, Bengaluru and awarded a purse of Rs 90,000. Dr DVG donated the entire award money to found the Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) located in Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, India. India Post issued a commemorative stamp of Dr. Gundappa in 1988.In early 2002/03, a statue was erected to honor Dr DVG in Basavanagudi, Bugle Rock Park (behind Sri. Ganapathi Temple). Dr DVG's son late Dr BGL Swamy
B. G. L. Swamy
Bengaluru Gundappa Lakshminarayana Swamy , also known as B. G. L. Swamy, was an eminent Indian botanist and Kannada writer; He served as professor and head of the department of Botany and as Principal of Presidency College, Chennai. He was the son of D. V...
was a scholar and professor, taught Botany at University of Madras. Dr DVG's 2 daughters were accomplished social-elites.