De Ja Gow passes away in Mysuru

Veteran Kannada writer and former vice-chancellor of University of Mysore De Jaware Gowda, popularly known was ‘De Ja Gow’, passed away at Jayadeva Hospital in Mysuru on Monday after a prolonged illness. He was 98.

Dr Sandeep of the hospital told mediapersons that he was admitted to the hospital on Sunday following a cardiac arrest. He developed respiratory problems and was put on ventilator since then, he added. 

He leaves behind his son Prof J Shashidhar Prasad, also a former VC of University of Mysore and J Shashikala, who is currently in the USA. His wife Savithramma had passed away on May 30, 2005. 

His last rites will be performed at ‘Pampa Vana’ at Kuvempu Vidyavardhaka Trust in Jayalakshmipuram  at 2.30 pm on Tuesday.  

A native of Chakkere village in Channapatna taluk in Ramanagaram district, De Ja Gow was born on July 6, 1918 to Devegowda and Channamma. He completed his master’s degree in Kannada from the University of Mysore and started his career as Kannada lecturer in 1946. He became the university’s vice-chancellor in 1969. 

He was instrumental in bringing Kannada encyclopaedia project to the University of Mysore. 

He had launched a fast unto death protest demanding that Kannada be declared as a Classical Language. 

De Ja Gow wrote his autobiography ‘Horatada Baduku’ in two parts. ‘Nenapina  Butthi’ was an anthology of poems by him. He had authored 40 biographies.

 ‘Kannada Kanmani’, ‘Kannada Senani’, ‘Karmayogi’, ‘Kulapathi Sadhanegalu’ and ‘Gudisilinda Gangotriyadege’ are a few among his 20 works.
 De Ja Gow was felicitated with Padmashri award in 2001, Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 1985, State Sahitya Akademi Award, Nadoja honorary degree by Hampi Kannada University, Karnataka Ratna Award in 2011 and Pampa Award.