JOIN USOnline literary mag enters 15th year
A Kannada literary e-magazine is entering its 15th year, and is celebrating it by offering fellowships to writers.
Avadhi is the only online magazine to have lasted this long, according to its editorial team, which works from an office in Shivananda Circle.
The magazine was launched in 2007 by G N Mohan, when he was working in Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. It soon became a favourite with the Kannada diaspora in the US.
“I was then editor, ETV News, in Hyderabad. Being away from home, it was hard to keep track of what was happening in Bengaluru and Karnataka. I was missing Kannada literature and art. Along with poet Venkata Ramana Gowda, I decided to open a window to the Kannada world,” says Mohan, who continues to edit it.
The magazine gets three to four lakhs readers every month. It won the Kannada Sahitya Academy Award in 2019, becoming the only website to receive such an honour. “We have learnt to adapt to changing times. We started with publishing Kannada poetry and short stories and promoting Kannada art, and our interests have widened with the interests of our readers,” Mohan says.
With about 10 posts every day, ranging from poetry to debates, the magazine has something new round the clock. “We have opinion makers from all walks of life, who not only read the magazine but also contribute to it. Discussions and debates are a regular part of the magazine,” Mohan tells Metrolife.
A new addition to the magazine is the dramatised serial: a novel or any experience is converted into short episodes and published as a series, one episode a day. “Currently we have a Covid survivor penning his experiences,” says Mohan.
Over the years, Avadhi has been a platform for several young Kannada writers. “Whether it is an unknown name from a small town or a Kannada literary legend, we treat everyone equally,” he says.
Talent hunt
As the magazine enters its 15th year, it is offering fellowships to young Kannada writers. “The pandemic has slowed down the process, but we look forward to giving them a platform and publishing their work,” says Mohan. Details about the fellowships will soon be announced on the official website.