Kannada poet H S Venkateshamurthy passes away at 80

Born in Hodigere village, Channagiri taluk in Davanagere, Venkateshamurthy was appointed a Kannada professor at St Joseph's College of Commerce, Bengaluru, in 1973. He worked there for three decades until he retired in 2000.

Renowned Kannada poet, playwright, critic and literary scholar
H S Venkatesh Murthy passed away on Friday. He was 80. 

He had been battling age-related health problems over the past few days and was admitted to a private hospital’s ICU, where he died at 7 am. He has left behind his four sons. 

His body was placed for public viewing between 11 am and 2 pm at Ravindra Kalakshethra in Bengaluru. Prominent figures from literary, cultural and other fields paid their last respects to the departed poet.

Later, his body was taken to his home in Pushpagiri Nagar, Banashankari. 

The government has ordered his funeral with full state honours, and his family has decided to hold his last rites at the Chamarajpet crematorium on Saturday morning. 

Born at Hodigere village in Channagiri taluk, Davanagere district, Venkatesh Murthy was appointed a Kannada professor at St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, in 1973. He worked there for three decades until he retired in 2000. 

‘HSV’, as he was known in literary spaces, produced notable literary works in genres including poetry, drama, essays, novels, children’s literature, translation and criticism. 

His main works are Kriyaaparva, Onamarada Giligalu, Eshtondhu Mugilu, Americadalli Billuhabba, Naditeeradalli, Uttarayana Mattu..., Kannadiya Surya, Vaidehi and other poems. He has written various plays including Agnivarna, Chitrapata, Uriya Uyyale, Manthare, and novels such as Tapi, Amanusharu, Kadiranakote, Agnimukhi and Vedavati
Nadiyalla. 

He was the president of the 85th Sahitya Sammelana held in Kalaburagi and received various awards including the Sahitya Academy Translation Prize, Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, and Rajyotsava Award.