Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy (
KannadaThe Kannada script is a syllabary of the Brahmic family, used primarily to write the Kannada language, one of the Dravidian languages in India. It is also used for Konkani, Tulu, Beary bashe and Kodava languages....
: ಯು. ಆರ್. ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ; born December 21, 1932), is a contemporary
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
and
criticThe word critic comes from the Greek , "able to discern", which in turn derives from the word , meaning a person who offers reasoned judgment or analysis, value judgment, interpretation, or observation...
in the
Kannada languageKannada is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas , number roughly 38 million, making it the 27th most spoken language 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 seven recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language, the highest literary honor conferred in
IndiaIndia, 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
. In 1998, he received the
Padma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established 2 January 1954 by the President of India. It stands third in the hierarchy of civilian awards, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri...
award from the
Government of IndiaThe Government of India, also known as the Union Government or the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of a union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Ananthamurthy was born in Melige, in Tirthahalli taluk in the
Shimoga DistrictShivamogga District is a district in the Karnataka state of India. Shivamogga is alternatively spelt as Shimoga. A major part of this district lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats; a region known for its green forests, plentiful rainfall, beautiful waterfalls and also of being the source...
.
Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy (
KannadaThe Kannada script is a syllabary of the Brahmic family, used primarily to write the Kannada language, one of the Dravidian languages in India. It is also used for Konkani, Tulu, Beary bashe and Kodava languages....
: ಯು. ಆರ್. ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ; born December 21, 1932), is a contemporary
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
and
criticThe word critic comes from the Greek , "able to discern", which in turn derives from the word , meaning a person who offers reasoned judgment or analysis, value judgment, interpretation, or observation...
in the
Kannada languageKannada is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas , number roughly 38 million, making it the 27th most spoken language 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 seven recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language, the highest literary honor conferred in
IndiaIndia, 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
. In 1998, he received the
Padma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established 2 January 1954 by the President of India. It stands third in the hierarchy of civilian awards, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri...
award from the
Government of IndiaThe Government of India, also known as the Union Government or the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of a 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 DistrictShivamogga District is a district in the Karnataka state of India. Shivamogga is alternatively spelt as Shimoga. A major part of this district lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats; a region known for its green forests, plentiful rainfall, beautiful waterfalls and also of being the source...
. His education started in a traditional
sanskritSanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
school in Doorvasapura and continued in Tirthahalli and
MysoreMysore is the second-largest city in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the headquarters of the Mysore district and the Mysore division and lies about southwest of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. The name Mysore is an anglicised version of Mahishūru, which means the abode of Mahisha...
. After receiving a
Master of ArtsA Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic master degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in English, Fine Arts, History, Nursing, Humanities, Geography, Philosophy, Social Sciences or Theology and can be either fully-taught, research-based, or a...
degree from the
University of MysoreThe University of Mysore , is among the foremost institutions of its kind, and is an enduring symbol in the sphere of higher education in India. It was founded by the then Maharaja of Mysore, His Highness Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and his Dewan, the renowned engineer-statesman Sir M.Visvesvarayya,...
Ananthamurthy went to
EnglandEngland 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 and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for further studies on a
Commonwealth ScholarshipThe 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
doctorateA doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. In some countries it also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession . The best-known example...
from the
University of BirminghamThe University of Birmingham is a British 'Redbrick' university located in the city of Birmingham, England...
in 1966 for his dissertation thesis entitled "Politics and Fiction in the 1930s".
Career
Ananthamurthy's career started as a professor and instructor in 1970 in English department of
University of MysoreThe University of Mysore , is among the foremost institutions of its kind, and is an enduring symbol in the sphere of higher education in India. It was founded by the then Maharaja of Mysore, His Highness Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and his Dewan, the renowned engineer-statesman Sir M.Visvesvarayya,...
. He was the
Vice-ChancellorA vice-chancellor of a university in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, India, Sri Lanka other Commonwealth countries, and some universities in Hong Kong, is the chief executive of the University...
in
Mahatma Gandhi UniversityMahatma Gandhi University, also known as M G University, was established on 2 October 1983 in Kottayam. The Mahatma Gandhi University , has been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council,India...
in
KottayamKottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located in central Kerala and is also the administrative capital of Kottayam district. Kottayam has an estimated population of 60,725, according to the 2001 census. The town is an important trading center of spices and commercial crops,...
,
KeralaKerala , is a state located in southwestern India. The state was created in 1956 on linguistc basis, bringing together those places where Malayalam formed the principal language...
in 1987. Ananthamurthy served as the president of
National Book TrustNational 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. Anantamurthy served as a visiting professor in many renowned Indian and foreign universities including
Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityJawaharlal Nehru University , also known as JNU or Nehru University, is located in New Delhi, the capital of India. Named after Jawaharlal Nehru , it is widely considered one of the most prestigious and selective universities in India. G...
,
Eberhard Karls University of TübingenEberhard 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...
,
University of IowaThe University of Iowa is a public research university located in Iowa City, Iowa. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
,
Tufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The university is home to the nation's oldest graduate school of international relations, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy....
and
Shivaji UniversityShivaji University, established in 1962, is located in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. It is best known for its literature, arts, commerce and science departments, as well as biotechnology and environmental studies in Maharashtra. The University is named after Chatrapati Shivaji, founder of the...
. At present Ananthamurthy is serving as the second time chairman of the
Film and Television Institute of IndiaFilm and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India . It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
.
Ananthamurthy has participated and delivered
lecturethumb|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
seminarSeminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at a university 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 requested...
s as
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
and
oratorAn orator, or oratist, is a speaker.An orator may also be called an oratarian - literally, "one who orates".-Etymology:...
both in and outside the country. He was the member of the committee of
Indian writersIndia, 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
and visited countries like
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
,
HungaryHungary , in English officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital is Budapest. Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU, V4 and is a Schengen state...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
and
West GermanyWest Germany is a common English name for the period of the Federal Republic of Germany between its' formation in May 1949 to German reunification in October 1990, when the German Democratic Republic was dissolved and the five states on its territory joined the Federal Republic of Germany,...
in 1990. He visited
MoscowMoscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
in 1989 as board member for a Soviet newspaper. Ananthamurthy was the leader for the committee of writers who visited
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
in 1993.
Ananthamurthy is well known for his famous interviews of notable Kannada writers for
MysoreMysore is the second-largest city in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the headquarters of the Mysore district and the Mysore division and lies about southwest of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. The name Mysore is an anglicised version of Mahishūru, which means the abode of Mahisha...
radioRadio is the transmission of signals 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 KaranthKota Shivaram Karanth was a major Kannada writer, social activist, environmentalist, Yakshagana artist, film maker and thinker. He was described as the "finest novelist-activist of modern India" by Ramachandra Guha. He was the third person among seven recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada the...
,
Gopalakrishna AdigaMogeri 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. LaxmanRasipuram 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.-Birth and childhood:R. K. Laxman was born in Mysore...
and K. M. Cariappa.
Literary Works
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 storiesA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format or medium tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels or books...
as well. Several of his
novelA novel is a 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
psychologicalPsychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the systematic, and sometimes scientific, study of human or animal mental functions and behavior...
aspects of people in different situations, times and circumstances. His writings supposedly analyze aspects ranging from challenges and changes faced by
BrahminBrahmins have historically been the class of educators, scholars and preachers in Hinduism. They are considered as belonging to the "forward castes" of the four varnas of Hinduism....
families of Karnataka to
bureaucratA 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...
s dealing with
politicsPolitics is a process by which groups of people make decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments, but politics has been observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic and religious institutions...
influencing their work.
Most of his
novelA novel is a 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
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
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 literatureIndian 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.
Political life
U. R. Ananthamurthy made an unsuccessful run for the
Lok SabhaThe Lok Sabha is the directly elected lower house of the Parliament of India. 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)The Janata Dal is a left of centre Indian political party led by former Prime Minister of India H.D. Deve Gowda. It was formed in July 1999 by the split of Janata Dal party.. It has political presence mainly in Karnataka. In Kerala, the party is part of the LDF government.Apart from Mr...
leader and former
Prime Minister of IndiaThe Prime Minister of India is the head of government of the Republic of India, and head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive in India...
H. D. Deve GowdaHaradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda was the 14th Prime Minister of the Republic 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 PartyThe Bharatiya Janata Party , translation: Indian People's Party) is a major political party in India, founded in 1980. The party is a strong force in Hindu nationalism and advocates conservative social policies, self-reliance, free market economics, foreign policy driven by a nationalist agenda,...
Murthy said Ananthamurthy also contested for the
Rajya SabhaThe Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Parliament of India. 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, science, and social services. These members are known as nominated members...
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
AavaranaAavarana is a 2007 Kannada novel by one of the eminent novelists 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 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 KarnatakaThe 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
- Jnanpith award
The Jnanpith Award is the highest literary award in India It is presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith, a trust founded by the Sahu Jain family, the publishers of the The Times of India newspaper.-The Award:...
in 1994
- Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established 2 January 1954 by the President of India. It stands third in the hierarchy of civilian awards, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri...
in 1998
- Rajyothsava award in 1984
- Sahitya academy award in 1983
- Maasti
Masthi Venkatesha Iyengar was a popular writer in Kannada language. He was the fourth person among seven 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...
award in 1994
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
- rajne mathu Parisar
- Sannivesha
- Sanamkshama
- Poorvapara
- Yugapallata
- Valmikiya Nevadalli
- Maatu Sotha Bharatha
- Sadya Mattu Shassvata
Movies
- Samskara
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
- Diksha
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...
External links