Thaye Baara Mogava Tora, Kannadigara Maatheye... This inspiring song which urges respect for our motherland, Kannada naadu, was written by none other than M Govinda Pai.

Pai was born in 1883 in Mangalore. However all his life right from childhood was spent in Manjeshwara. During those days these areas were under the rule of Madras Presidency. His early education was in Mangalore also known as the ‘land of intellectuals’.

Many a stalwart has rendered his services from this place for the growth of Kannada literature, culture and for the unification of Karnataka. Benegal Rama Rao, Panje Mangesha Rao, Bolara Vittala Rao are some of the names associated in this endeavour.

With such an atmosphere of highly cultured personalities it was but natural that their influence was strong in Govinda Pai. As a person he was sharpminded and deeply emotional. His higher education, which continued in Madras, was to be curtailed due to the untimely death of his father. This resulted in his bearing the responsibility of the family.

He is a noted critique in Kannada and has also contributed immensely, not only to the development of the language, but also to the unification of the State. He is one among the literary giants of the 20th Century. Though he was a great scholar and a researcher, he was humble and simple. His first writing was published at a young age in a magazine called Suvasini, published from Mangalore.

From then on, his work was continuous for almost six decades. He translated the Krishna Charitha (1909) written in Bengali by Navin Chandra Sen into Kannada. He also translated the Buddhist Sutras in the name of Sitala Sutta in the year 1911. His study pertaining to religion and literary activities were simultaneous. During the Belagaum Sahitya Sammelan in 1924, he was identified as an upcoming writer. By this time, he started his research work and completed his work on seven to eight topics. Some of his works in English are useful to Indian historians. His research work pertains to History, Halegannada poets, their life and works and literary activities in Hosagannada style.

His research includes one of the well-known sects of South Kanara by name ‘Gowda Saraswata’. He recorded a detailed study on the same in his work Flashes from the Past. His work Namma Hiriyarannu Kuritu, published in the year 1951, has further substantiated the same. 

His research also cleared many ambiguities about the life of Madhwacharya, Ratnakara Varni, Parti Subba and others. He has also worked on the history of Karnataka with relevance to princely dynasties in the region and also about Indian history. He has critically examined the origin of Kannada and its age and also about the life and works of poets like Pampa, Ranna, Nagachandra, Harihara, Raghavanka and many others.

Though his writings are less, the quality of his work is very high. In his autobiography he records that he was not specific in his selection as to either poetry or research for his work. According to many experts though, his conclusions in much of his research is not wholly acceptable. One has to respect his analysing capacity, sharp critical mind, adherence to the topic and sense of history. He has studied many languages, Indian and other countries, apart from Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrutha.

He has written many dramas. Some of them are Hebberalu on Ekalavya. The drama Chitrabhanu is based on the Quit India Movement. Thayi is his only social drama. He has introduced the Japanese style of dramas by translating their dramas called ‘Noo’. His collection called Gilivindu contains about 45 poems whereas Nandadeepa has 37 poems.

Apart from these more than 90 poems were published in many newspapers and magazines. Golgotha which highlights the last days of Jesus Christ and Vaishakhi about the last days of Buddha are two long verses written by him.

His inspirations for writing are love, devotion, sensitivity, cordiality and love for freedom. He always used simple language and introduced new words which are rich in nativity (Mannina Sogadu). His last work on the temple of Manjeshwara was published after his death in 1963.

In 1949, the then Madras Government conferred on him the Rashtrakavi Award. He was President of the Kannada Sahitya Sammelan which was held in the year 1951 at Mumbai.

Govinda Pai’s contribution to the development of the Kannada language and literature are exemplary which includes his selfless service for the unification of Karnataka.

Despite all this, one of his lifetime desires, that is the merging of Manjeshwara, the land on which he devoted all his energy like Tanu Kannada, Mana Kannada remains unfulfilled as this was merged with the neighbouring state.
Recently, his 125th birth anniversary was celebrated wherein a national award was instituted in his name and his old house at Manjeshwara is mooted to become a national monument, aptly named ‘Gilivindu’, which is the poet’s favourite collection of poems.