S.L Bhyrappa a Great Writer

Biography

SANTESHIVARA LINGANNAIAH (S.L.) BHYRAPPA

Date of Birth:     20-8-1931

Qualifications: M.A Philosophy, 1958; Ph.D in Aesthetics, 1963

Occupation: Professor of Philosophy (Retired)

Personal Information     Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa  (born August 20, 1931), is a Kannada novelist, whose works are immensely popular both within and beyond Karnataka. Bhyrappa is widely regarded as one of India's foremost modern-day writers. His novels are unique in terms of theme, structure, and characterization.He has been among the top selling authors of Kannada, Hindi and Marathi for the past several years. Most of his works reveal the theme of Advaita vedanta and search of truth[citation needed]. Although S. L. Bhyrappa participated in the freedom struggle of Indian Independence at an early age, he believes that Indian Independence was just a political freedom from British rule, and the real Independence is the intellectual freedom which is nurtured by the strong foundations laid in the teachings of rich Indian culture and values. He has been awarded with the 20th Saraswati Samman for 2010.

Bhyrappa was born in a Hoysala Karnataka Brahmin family at Santeshivara, a remote village in Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district, about 200 km from Bangalore. He lost his mother to Bubonic plague early in childhood and took on odd jobs to pay for his education. His childhood influences include the Kannada literature Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar; Bhyrappa briefly participated in the Indian freedom struggle when he was aged 13.

Bhyrappa completed his primary education in Channarayapatna taluk before moving to Mysore where he completed the rest of his education. His autobiography, Bhitti (Wall) records a break in his high school education. Bhyrappa impulsively quit school, following his cousin's advice and wandered for a year with him. His sojourn led him to Mumbai, where he worked as a railway porter. In Mumbai he met a group of sadhus and joined them to seek spiritual solace. He wandered with them for a few months before returning to Mysore to resume his education.

Personal Interests : Dr Bhyrappa is an avid listener of both Indian and Western classical music and has an interest in art and sculpture. He has trekked in the Alps, the Rockies, Andes and in Fujiama, but the Himalayas including Manasa Sarovara remain as his greatest passion. He is widely travel covering all the continents except Australia. He has taken expedition to Siberia, Antartica and Alaska.

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Professor S.L. Bhyrappa is the bestselling novelist in the southern Indian language of Kannada over the last 25 years, the bestselling novelist in Marathi over the past decade and he has been a top five bestselling author in Hindi. He is a serious literary artist, always concerned with fundamental human conditions and predicaments. In addition to his profound knowledge of Indian philosophical and cultural traditions, Professor Bhyrappa has since childhood had intense personal experiences in both rural and urban settings. Drawing on this, his characters grow from the Indian soil. Seminars have been and are being held on his novels, and many volumes of literary criticism have been published on his works. His books have been assigned to the curriculum of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses by the universities in the state of Karnataka, and have been the subject of Ph.D dissertations.

Publications :  Novels

2010: Kavalu (Branch)

2007: Aavarana (Veil); 22nd reprint within 18 months of publication

2002: Mandra (Musical note); 5th reprint

1998: Saartha (Caravan); 6th reprint

1996: Bhitti (Canvas [Autobiography]); 6th reprint

1993: Tantu (Fibre); 6th reprint

1990: Anchu   (Edge); 5th reprint

1986: Sakshi (The Witness); 5th reprint

1983: Nele (The Foundation); 6th reprint

1979: Parva (The Epoch); 9th reprint

1976: Anveshana (Search); 7th reprint

1973: Daatu (Crossing Over); 8th reprint

1972: Grahana (The Eclipse); 7th reprint

1971: Jalapaata (TheWaterfall); 9th reprint

1971: Niraakarana (Rejection); 8th reprint

1970: Grihabhanga (The Broken Home); 8th reprint

1968: Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane (Son, You Are An Orphan); 8th reprint

1968: Naayi-Neralu (The Dog and the Shadow); 10th reprint

1965: Vamshavriksha (Scion); 13th reprint

1965: Matadaana (Casting Vote); 9th reprint

1962: Doorasaridaru (Moved Apart); 10th reprint

1961: Dharmashree; 11th reprint

1960: Bheemakhaya (The Wrestler); 3rd reprint

Novels translated into English

2006 : The Caravan (Saratha), transl. S. Ramaswamy (New Delhi: Oxford University             Press)

2003 : Crossing Over (Daatu), transl. Pradhan Gurudatta & David Mowat (Delhi: B.R.          Publishing)

2000 : The Witness (Sakshi), transl. S.L. Bhyrappa & Sharon Norris (Chennai: East               West Books (Madras) Pvt. Limited)

1995 : Scion (Vamshavruksha), transl. S.L. Bhyrappa & Sushuma Chandrasekhar               (Chennai: East West Books (Madras) Pvt. Limited)

1994 : Parva, transl. K. Raghavendra Rao (New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi)

          Academic publications in English

1968 : Values in Modern Indian Educational Thought (New Delhi: National Council            of Educational Research and Training)

1964 : Truth & Beauty: A Study in Correlations (Baroda: M.S.University Press)

          Research Papers published in various Journals like Indian Philosophical                 Quarterly, Darshana International, Journal of University of Baroda, etc.

        Films based on S.L. Bhyrappa’s novels

2006 : Naayi Neralu (The Dog and the Shadow) (Kannada) directed by G. Kasaravalli

2000 : Matadana (Casting Vote) (Kannada) directed by T.N. Sitaram

1978 : Vamshavriksha (Scion) (Telugu) directed by Mr. Babu

1976 : Godhuli (The Orphan) (Hindi) directed by G. Karnad and B.V. Karanth

1975 : Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane (The Orphan) (Kannada) directed by G. Karnad         and B.V. Karanth

1972 : Vamshavriksha (Scion) (Kannada) directed by B.V. Karanth and G. Karnad

        Television series based on S.L. Bhyrappa’s novels

2002 : Grihabhanga (The Broken Home) (Kannada)

Books on Bhyrappa's works

Awards

Literary awards

2011 : Saraswathi Samman- K.K.Birla Foundation

2011 : NADOJA –Humpi Kannada University

2010 : Honorary D.Litt from Karnataka University-Dharwad

2007 : Honorary D.Litt from Gulbarga University

2007 : Hedgewar Award (Calcutta)

2007 : NTR Award (Andhra Pradesh)

2006 : Pampa (Karnataka State) Award

2005 : Honorary D.Litt from Karnataka Government Open University, Mysore

2002 : Samanyajnana Award for Contribution to Literature

2000 : S. R. Patil Award for Contribution to Literature

2000 : Gorur Award for Contribution to Literature

1996-97 : Award of the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishat, Samvatsar Puraskar (Calcutta) for Tantu (Fibre)

1996 : Masti Award for Contribution to Literature (Bangalore)

1998 : Granthaloka (The Book World) Best Literary Work of the Year Award for Saakshi (The Witness)

1986 : The Karnataka State Award for Total Contribution to Literature

1985 : The Karnataka Sahitya (Literary) Academy Award for Contribution to Literature

1975 : Central Sahitya Academy (Institute of Letters) Best Literary Work Award (New Delhi) for Daatu (Crossing Over)

1974 : The Karnataka State Sahitya (Literary) Academy Best Literary Work of the Year Award (Bangalore) for Daatu (Crossing Over)

1968 : The Karnataka State Sahitya (Literary) Academy Best Literary Work of the Year Award for Vamshavriksha (The Uprooted)

Awards for films based on S.L. Bhyrappa’s novels

2007 : International Film Festival of Mumbai MAMI Best Film Award for Naayi Neralu (The Dog and the Shadow) (Kannada)

2006 : Osian’s Asian Film Festival, CINEFAN, Jury Award in the Indian Film Category for Naayi Neralu (The Dog and the Shadow)

2006 : Karachi International Film Festival Best Feature Film Award for Naayi Neralu (The Dog and the Shadow)

2006 : Karantaka State Film Award for Naayi Neralu (The Dog and the Shadow)

2001 : The Government of India Best Regional Feature Film Award for Matadana (Casting Vote) (Kannada)Film Directed by T N Seetaram

1977 : The Government of India Best Feature Film Award for Godhuli (The Orphan) (Hindi)

1972 : The Government of India Best Feature Film Award for Vamshavriksha (Scion) (Kannada) Film Directed by Dr. Girish Karnad

Scholarships and other honours (selected)

1992 : One of the five member of the Indian Literary Delegation, invited to visit China by the Government of China

1983 : Ford Foundation Award to visit the USA to study the cultural problems of Indian immigrants to the USA

1977 : British Council Fellowship tenured at the School of Education, University of London

Conferences (selected)

2007 : International Conference, University of Udine, Italy

2007 : President, Association of Kannadighas Meeting, Dubai

2006 : Association of Kannada Koota America, Washington DC, USA

1999 : President of the 67th All India Kannada Literary Conference, Kanakapure, 
India

1998 : President, World Kannada Sammelana, Phoenix, USA

1994 : Inaugural Address, All Indian Marathi Literary Conference, Goa, India

1991 : East-West Writers Meeting, Bled, Slovenia

1975 : Representative of India, UNESCO Seminar on Moral Education, Tokyo, Japan

Chairman and President of over 25 literary conferences held in India

Membership of literary associations (selected)

1987-92 : Executive Board, Central Sahitya Academy (Institute of Letters), New Delhi, India

1982-87 : Executive Board, Karnataka Sahitya (Literary) Academy, Bangalore, India

Life Member: Indian Philosophical Congress

Novels translated into other Indian languages

Vamshavriksha: Telugu, Marathi (3rd Edition), Hindi (4th edition) & Urdu.

Naayi-Neralu: Gujarathi, Hindi (3rd edition)

Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane: Hindi (3rd edition)

Grihabhanga: All 14 Indian Languages by the National Book Trust, India

Niraakarana: Hindi (3rd edition)

Daatu: All 14 Indian Languages by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.

Anveshana: Marathi, Hindi (2nd Edition)

Parva:Marathi (2nd Edition), Hindi (3rd Edition), Tamil, Telugu & Bengali

Nele: Hindi

Saakshi: Hindi

Anchu: Marathi, Hindi

Tantu: Marathi, Hindi (2nd Edition)

Saartha: Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi

Bhitti: Marathi, Hindi

Dharmashree: Sanskrit, Marath

Naaneke Barayuttene: Marathi

All info courtesy: http://slbhyrappa.com/pages/biography.html