Renowned Kannada Poet and Playwright H.S. Venkatesha Murthy Passes Away Recently.
Obituary
In May 2025, renowned Kannada poet, playwright, and scholar Hodigere Shanbhog Venkatesha Murthy (HSV) passed away at the age of 81 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was born in 1944 in Hodigere village, located in Channagiri taluk, Davanagere district, Karnataka.
- HSV was a multifaceted literary figure who made significant contributions to Kannada literature, including poetry, drama, children’s literature, translations, film lyrics, and musical works. His style was known for its depth, accessibility, and cultural richness.
- He dedicated more than 30 years to academia as a professor at St. Joseph's College of Commerce, Bengaluru, where he mentored generations of students while actively engaging in Kannada literary circles.
Main Point :- (i) HSV also made a mark in the Kannada film and television industry, penning lyrics for popular films such as Kirik Party (“Thoogu Manchadalli Koothu”), America America, and Chinnari Mutha. He directed his autobiographical film Hasiru Ribbon in 2018.
(ii) Passionate about classical Kannada texts, HSV simplified epics like Kumaravyasa Bharata and Pampa's Vikramarjuna Vijaya for young readers, making ancient wisdom more accessible to modern audiences.
(iii) His distinguished career earned him numerous honors, including the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize (1991), Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award (five times), Rajyotsava Award (2003), Sahitya Akademi Bal Puraskar (2013), and the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award (2019).
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