U. R. Ananthamurthy
Encyclopedia
Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy is a contemporary writer
and critic
in the Kannada language
and is considered as one of the pioneers of the Navya movement. He is well known among Indian authors. He is the sixth person among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language, the highest literary honor conferred in India
. In 1998, he received the Padma Bhushan
award from the Government of India
.
. His education started in a traditional Sanskrit
school in Doorvasapura and continued in Tirthahalli and Mysore. After receiving a Master of Arts
degree from the University of Mysore
Ananthamurthy went to England
for further studies on a Commonwealth Scholarship
. He earned his doctorate
from the University of Birmingham
in 1966 for his dissertation thesis entitled "Politics and Fiction in the 1930s".
Ananthamurthy's career started as a professor and instructor in 1970 in English department of University of Mysore
. He was the Vice-Chancellor in Mahatma Gandhi University
in Kottayam
, Kerala
in 1987. Ananthamurthy served as the Chairman of National Book Trust
India for the year 1992. In 1993 he was elected as the president of Sahitya Academy. Ananthamurthy served as a visiting professor in many renowned Indian and foreign universities including Jawaharlal Nehru University
, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
, University of Iowa
, Tufts University
and Shivaji University
. At present Ananthamurthy is serving as the second time chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India
.
Ananthamurthy has participated and delivered lecture
s in numerous seminar
s as writer
and orator both in and outside the country. He was the member of the committee of Indian writers
and visited countries like Soviet Union
, Hungary
, France
and West Germany
in 1990. He visited Moscow
in 1989 as board member for a Soviet newspaper. Ananthamurthy was the leader for the committee of writers who visited China
in 1993.
Ananthamurthy is well known for his famous interviews of notable Kannada writers for Mysore radio
. He has interviewed personalities like K. Shivaram Karanth
, Gopalakrishna Adiga
, R.K. Narayan, R. K. Laxman
and K. M. Cariappa.
Ananthamurthy's works have been translated into several Indian and European languages and have been awarded with important literary prizes. His main works include Samskara, Bhava, Bharathi Pura, and Avasthe. He has written numerous short stories
as well. Several of his novel
s and short fictions have been made into movies.
Most of Ananthamurthy's literary works deal with psychological
aspects of people in different situations, times and circumstances. His writings supposedly analyze aspects ranging from challenges and changes faced by Brahmin
families of Karnataka to bureaucrat
s dealing with politics
influencing their work.
Most of his novel
s are on reaction of individuals to situations that are unusual and artificial. Results of influences of socio-political and economic changes on traditional Hindu
societies of India and clashes due to such influences - between a father and a son, husband and wife, father and daughter and finally, the fine love that flows beneath all such clashes are portrayed by Ananthamurthy in his works. This is evident in his stories like Sooryana Kudure (The Grasshopper), Mowni (Silent Man), Karthika etc. It does not mean that Ananthamurthy is just clinging to portraying only such somewhat standard subjects of Indian literature
of his period. His novelette "Bara" (Drought) portrays the dynamics of a drought-striken district of Karnataka and the challenges and dilemmas a bureaucrat may face in such situations.
The central figure of the novel Sooryana Kudure - Venkata is shunned by his son and wife for his easy-going attitude that does not take him anywhere. Venkata is a non-achiever who could not achieve any material or monetary success in his life. However, he is a simpleton that does not take life's suffering to his heart too much. He likes to see life as living in the love of Amma (or mother-goddess). In all sufferings of life, he has the child-like curiosity about the smallest things in life - like a grasshopper (Sooryana Kudure). The evening after his son revolts and leaves the house, he would be engrossed in a sight in his yard - a grasshopper shining in the sun's light.
in which he stated that his
A Janata Dal (Secular)
leader and former Prime Minister of India
H. D. Deve Gowda
had made an offer for Murthy to contest for his party. However, after the Janata Dal (Secular) worked a power sharing agreement with the Bharatiya Janata Party
Murthy said Ananthamurthy also contested for the Rajya Sabha
elections from state assembly in 2006.
In June 2007 Ananthamurthy declared that he will not take part in literary functions in future in the wake of strong criticism for his reaction on S.L. Bhyrappa’s controversial novel Aavarana
.
The idea proposed by Ananthamurthy to rename ten cities in Karnataka including Bengaluru from their colonial forms to actual native forms was accepted by Government of Karnataka
and the cities were renamed on the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations of formation of Karnataka.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
in the Kannada language
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
and is considered as one of the pioneers of the Navya movement. He is well known among Indian authors. He is the sixth person among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language, the highest literary honor conferred in 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...
. In 1998, he received the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
award from the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Early life
Ananthamurthy was born in Melige, in Tirthahalli taluk in the Shimoga DistrictShimoga District
Shimoga District is a district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga District lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats, a hilly area known for its green forests, plentiful rainfall, and as the source of many of the area's rivers. Shimoga City is the administrative centre...
. His education started in a traditional 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...
school in Doorvasapura and continued in Tirthahalli and Mysore. After receiving a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from the University of Mysore
University of Mysore
The University of Mysore , is a public university in India. The University founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, and was conceptualized on the basis of a report on educational progress in the United States and Australia, submitted by Messrs Thomas Denham and...
Ananthamurthy went to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for further studies on a Commonwealth Scholarship
Commonwealth Scholarship
The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan is an international programme under which Commonwealth governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries.-History:...
. He earned his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
in 1966 for his dissertation thesis entitled "Politics and Fiction in the 1930s".
Career
University of Mysore
The University of Mysore , is a public university in India. The University founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, and was conceptualized on the basis of a report on educational progress in the United States and Australia, submitted by Messrs Thomas Denham and...
. He was the Vice-Chancellor in Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University
Mahatma Gandhi University, also known as M G University, was established on 2 October 1983 in Kottayam. The University Grants Commission of India does not believe that the names of Indian universities should be unique, so another UGC-recognized government-run Mahatma Gandhi University was...
in Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in 1987. Ananthamurthy served as the Chairman of National Book Trust
National Book Trust
National Book Trust, is an Indian publishing house, founded in 1957 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education within the Government of India....
India for the year 1992. In 1993 he was elected as the president of Sahitya Academy. Ananthamurthy served as a visiting professor in many renowned Indian and foreign universities including Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jawaharlal Nehru University, also known as JNU, is located in New Delhi, the capital of India. It is mainly a research oriented postgraduate University with approximately 5,500 students and a faculty strength of around 550.-History:...
, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen is a public university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of Germany's oldest universities, internationally noted in medicine, natural sciences and the humanities. In the area of German Studies it has been ranked first among...
, University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
and Shivaji University
Shivaji University
Shivaji University , established in 1962, is located in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The University is named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha Empire. It was inaugurated on 18 November 1962 by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the then President of India. Yashwantrao Chavan and...
. At present Ananthamurthy is serving as the second time chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
.
Ananthamurthy has participated and delivered lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
s in numerous seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s as writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and orator both in and outside the country. He was the member of the committee of Indian writers
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...
and visited countries like Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in 1990. He visited Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1989 as board member for a Soviet newspaper. Ananthamurthy was the leader for the committee of writers who visited China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1993.
Ananthamurthy is well known for his famous interviews of notable Kannada writers for Mysore radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. He has interviewed personalities like K. Shivaram Karanth
K. Shivaram Karanth
Kota Shivaram Karanth was a major Kannada writer, social activist, environmentalist, Yakshagana artist, film maker and thinker. He was described as the "Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India who has been one of the finest novelists-activists since independence" by Ramachandra Guha...
, Gopalakrishna Adiga
Gopalakrishna Adiga
Mogeri Gopalakrishna Adiga was one of the majors figures in modern Kannada poetry. He is known as the "pioneer of New style" poetry.-Early life:...
, R.K. Narayan, R. K. Laxman
R. K. Laxman
Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Laxman is an Indian cartoonist, illustrator, and humorist. He is widely regarded as India's greatest-ever cartoonist and is best known for his creation The Common Man....
and K. M. Cariappa.
Literary works
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
as well. Several of his novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and short fictions have been made into movies.
Most of Ananthamurthy's literary works deal with psychological
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
aspects of people in different situations, times and circumstances. His writings supposedly analyze aspects ranging from challenges and changes faced by Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
families of Karnataka to bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
s dealing with politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
influencing their work.
Most of his novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s are on reaction of individuals to situations that are unusual and artificial. Results of influences of socio-political and economic changes on traditional Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
societies of India and clashes due to such influences - between a father and a son, husband and wife, father and daughter and finally, the fine love that flows beneath all such clashes are portrayed by Ananthamurthy in his works. This is evident in his stories like Sooryana Kudure (The Grasshopper), Mowni (Silent Man), Karthika etc. It does not mean that Ananthamurthy is just clinging to portraying only such somewhat standard subjects of Indian literature
Indian literature
Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Republic of India has 22 officially recognized languages....
of his period. His novelette "Bara" (Drought) portrays the dynamics of a drought-striken district of Karnataka and the challenges and dilemmas a bureaucrat may face in such situations.
The central figure of the novel Sooryana Kudure - Venkata is shunned by his son and wife for his easy-going attitude that does not take him anywhere. Venkata is a non-achiever who could not achieve any material or monetary success in his life. However, he is a simpleton that does not take life's suffering to his heart too much. He likes to see life as living in the love of Amma (or mother-goddess). In all sufferings of life, he has the child-like curiosity about the smallest things in life - like a grasshopper (Sooryana Kudure). The evening after his son revolts and leaves the house, he would be engrossed in a sight in his yard - a grasshopper shining in the sun's light.
Personal life
U. R. Ananthamurthy is married to Esther and has two children, Sharat and Anuradha. He currently resides in Bangalore.Political life
U. R. Ananthamurthy made an unsuccessful run for the Lok SabhaLok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
in which he stated that his
A Janata Dal (Secular)
Janata Dal (Secular)
The Janata Dal is a Centre-left ಕನ್ನಡ: ಜನತಾ ದಳIndian political party led by former Prime Minister of India H.D. Deve Gowda.The party recognized as state party in the states of Karnataka and Kerala . It was formed in July 1999 by the split of Janata Dal party. It has political presence mainly in...
leader and former Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
H. D. Deve Gowda
H. D. Deve Gowda
Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda was the 11th Prime Minister of India and the 14th chief minister of the state of Karnataka ....
had made an offer for Murthy to contest for his party. However, after the Janata Dal (Secular) worked a power sharing agreement with the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
Murthy said Ananthamurthy also contested for the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
elections from state assembly in 2006.
In June 2007 Ananthamurthy declared that he will not take part in literary functions in future in the wake of strong criticism for his reaction on S.L. Bhyrappa’s controversial novel Aavarana
Aavarana
Aavarana is a 2007 Kannada novel by novelist S.L. Bhyrappa. Aavarana means enveloping or covering something. This novel deals with the historical character like Mogul Emperor Aurangazeb. Aavarana was sold out even before its release in February 2007. The novel went on to create a record in the...
.
The idea proposed by Ananthamurthy to rename ten cities in Karnataka including Bengaluru from their colonial forms to actual native forms was accepted by Government of Karnataka
Government of Karnataka
The Government of Karnataka is a democratically elected body with the Governor as the constitutional head. The Governor who is appointed for a period of five years appoints the Chief Minister and his council of ministers...
and the cities were renamed on the occasion of golden jubilee celebrations of formation of Karnataka.
Awards
- 1984: Rajyothsava Award
- 1994: Jnanpith AwardJnanpith AwardThe Jnanpith Award is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country...
- 1995: MaastiMaasti Venkatesh IyengarMaasthi Venkatesha Iyengar was a popular writer in Kannada language. He was the fourth person among eight recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada the highest literary honour conferred in India. He was popularly referred to as Maasti Kannadada Aasti which means Maasti is Kannada's Treasure...
- 1998: Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- 2008: Nadoja Award by Kannada UniversityKannada UniversityKannada University, also called Hampi Kannada University or Hampi University, is a higher education university in Hampi, Karnataka, founded in the year 1991, with the aim to develop the Kannada language and to promote the literature, traditions, culture, and folklore of Karnataka.-Sections:The...
- 2011: The Hindu Literary PrizeThe Hindu Literary PrizeThe Hindu Literary Prize or The Hindu Best Fiction Award is an Indian literary award sponsored by The Hindu Literary Review which is part of the The Hindu paper. It recognizes Indian works in English and English translation...
, shortlist, Bharathipura - 2012: DSC Prize for South Asian LiteratureDSC Prize for South Asian LiteratureDSC Prize for South Asian Literature is a literary prize awarded annually to writers of any ethnicity or nationality writing about South Asia themes such as culture, politics, history, or people. It is for an original full-length novel written in English, or translated into English. The first award...
, shortlist, Bharathipura
Short story collections
- Endendhigu Mugiyada Kathe
- Mouni
- Prashne
- Clip Joint
- Ghata Shradda
- Aakaasha mattu Bekku
- Eradu dashakada kategalu
- Aidu dashakada kategalu
Literary Criticism and Essays
- Prajne mathu Parisara
- Sannivesha
- Sanamkshama
- Poorvapara
- Yugapallata
- Valmikiya Nevadalli
- Maatu Sotha Bharatha
- Sadya Mattu Shashvata
Movies
- SamskaraSamskara (film)Samskara is a 1970 film in the Kannada language which is based on a novel of the same name, written by the renowned writer and Jnanpith award winner, U. R. Ananthamurthy. The film is said to have been a path-breaking venture and is supposed to have pioneered the parallel cinema movement in Kannada...
- Bara
- Avaste
- Mouni
- DikshaDiksha (film)Diksha is 1991 Hindi film directed by Arun Kaul and his only feature. The film is based on a novella by eminent Kannada writer U. R...