The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Literary giants pay tributes to Subbanna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 26, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Literary giants pay tributes to Subbanna

Staff Reporter

SHARING MEMORIES: The playwright and MLC Chandrashekar Kambar (left) and the Jnanpith award winner and writer U.R. Ananthamurthy in front of a display of photographs of the Magsaysay award winner late K.V. Subbanna, in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: The Directorate of Kannada and Culture, the Karnataka Nataka Academy, the National School of Drama (Karnataka centre) and the students of Ninasam (Heggodu) on Monday paid rich tributes to Magsaysay award winner and cultural experimentalist late K.V. Subbanna, who died recently in his native village of Heggodu.

Placing his childhood friend on a par with late Da. Ra. Bendre, G.B. Joshi, Kuvempu, D.L. Narasimhachar and others who belonged to pre-modern movements of Kannada literature, the Jnanpith award winner and writer U.R. Ananthamurthy said Subbanna was responsible for accommodating a new movement under the Navya tradition of Kannada literature.

Terming Subbanna a philosopher, he said Subbanna's critique on Srivijaya's "Kavirajamarga" is a testimony to the range and depth of his intellect. His observation, "Kannada is in the world and the world is in Kannada," speaks of his understanding of the language.

Through his experimental approach to art, culture and history, he made Heggodu a centre for interaction among people from all walks of life, Dr. Ananthamurthy added.

Jnanpith award winner and writer Girish Karnad said those born in 1930s are a fortunate lot as they witnessed many social, political and cultural movements. The late Subbanna was no exception, he added.

The former Minister and poet K.H. Srinivas said Subbanna's achievements are not confined to Heggodu. His efforts to translate thoughts into action at Heggodu provide a model for evolving a cultural policy, he felt.

The playwright and MLC Chandrashekar Kambar said Subbanna's cultural experiments educated and inspired people.

Recalling her association with the late essayist, the writer Vydehi said Subbanna was not a man of pretence.

The former chairperson of the Nataka Academy K. Marulasiddappa said Subbanna was not after glamour and he always believed in simplicity.

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