Writer Pa Sha Srinivas, who translated ‘Thirukkural’, a literary work of Thiruvalluvar into Kannada language and has served the Kannada Study Centre in Tamil Nadu for over 45 years, is today languishing in anonymity as even making ends meet has become difficult for the author.
Srinivas, 78, lives with his wife Susheela, on 5th Cross, Gandhi Nagar, in the city. They have no children. He has served as the president of Kannada Study Chair, Madurai Kamaraj University and also Madras Kannada Study Centre. One of his legs has been amputated due to diabetes and he is also suffering from poor vision. He is facing a financial crisis but has not sought help from anybody.
Srinivas told DH: “Karnataka government remembered me during the tenure of Yeddyurappa as chief minister, when poet Thiruvalluvar’s statue was unveiled in Bengaluru. But, I was not invited for the programme. Now, I have neither expectations nor worries.”
Gandhi Bhavan vice president Linganna Bandhukar said Pa Sha Sri is Kannada’s Thiruvalluvar. “The government, which had appointed a nurse when Kuvempu was ailing, should make similar arrangements for Srinivas,” he said.
Srinivas is from Pandeshwara in Dakshina Kannada. His father Narayana had settled in Mandya. Pa Sha Sri completed his primary and high school education in the city and had formed the ‘Kirana Sahitya Sangha’ while he was studying in the ninth standard.
He completed his BA Honours and MA from the University of Mysore and later became a researcher at Dakshina Bharatha Bhasha Samsthe in Madras. He served as the president of Kannada Study Chair in Madurai Kamaraj University for 25 years.
He has also compiled a Kannada-Tamil dictionary and has translated ‘Jnanabharatha’, ‘Prasada’, ‘Sahitya Kaveri’, ‘Chittara’ and other works from Tamil to Kannada.
The Tamil Nadu government had sent a team to Mandya to seek his advice during the implementation of Tamil as a classical language. “The TN government is also ready to extend help to him. Sadly, the Karnataka state government has neglected his service,” Linganna said.
