Passion for theatre and undying zest for teaching

Dr H K Ramanath (72) has a passion for theatre and zest for Teaching. Son of Nagarathnamma and H S Keshavaiah, Ramanath hails from Jodi Hochihalli, Kadur Taluk, Chikamagalur District. He obtained his MA in Kannada, B Ed,  Diploma in Dramatics from Fine Arts College Mysore and  Ph D from University of Mysore  in ‘Kannada Rangabhoomiya Vikasa’ under the guidance of Prof Sindhuvalli Ananthamurthy.

Dr Ramanath is known as ‘HKR’ in his friends circle. His tryst with theatre started in 1951 by acting with a drama ‘Haalkeeru’ and eventually he acted in a drama "Nehru Banda Dina" in 1952, along with writer P Lankesh.  Since then he has acted in more than 140 dramas.  Some of the famous dramas in which he has infested his drama dexterity   are -Ashadhabhoothi, Kelu Janamejaya, Beralge Koral, Gashiram Kotwal, Sattavara  neralu,  Jathre, Angulimala, Thaledanda, Suryashikari, Sadarame, Bekku- bhavi, Homerule, Vamshavruksha, etc.

He has directed the following dramas -Gaggayana gadibidi, Kisagothami, Varshikotsava. He has scripted and acted in the film ‘Payaniga’.   He is the founder of ‘Mithra Kalavidaru’ Troupe in Mysore.  Recognising his talents in Theatre Field,  Karnataka Government  has given him ‘Karnataka Nataka Academy  Gowrava Prashati’ in 2001.  He got ‘Ranga Jyothi’ Award from Mysore Ujwala Kannada  kala Balaga in 1997. 

His date with teaching started in 1963 after he joined as a teacher in Vidyodaya Multipurpose high school in T Narasipura. Later he joined Demonstration School attached to Regional College of Education Mysore in 1966.

He got the ‘Best Teacher Award’ from Rotary Organisation (West) and NCERT Award in the Seminar Reading  competition at the National Level.  At the time of his retirement in 1997 he was an Audio- producer Grade- I  in Regional Institute of Education Mysore.
As an audio producer he has produced  nearly 400 audio Cassettes related to childrens' stories and Plays, on  animals, rivers, mountains, insects etc.

As a resource person he has attended hundreds of seminars, conferences and  workshops as a resource person  for the  past 32 years.

Recently Rotary Central Mysore honoured him with ‘Teacher Extraordinaire Award’. He has published the following Books - Ranga sambandha, Karnataka Ranga Bhoomi-Andu, Indu, Naley, and  four  childrens' dramas.