Siddhalingaiah

Siddalingaiah was a Kannada poet, writer, teacher and activist, and one of the most influential poets of modern Kannada. He was named for the Padma Shri posthumously in 2022 in the field of literature and education, from Karnataka ^[1].

Poems of protest

Siddalingaiah was born on 3 February 1954 ^[2]. He took an MA in Kannada from Bangalore University in 1976, winning a gold medal, and a PhD with a thesis on village goddesses ^[2]. He taught postgraduate students at Bangalore University for more than 30 years ^[2].

In the 1970s his collection Holemadigara Haadu, poems of anger and rebellion, made him famous and set a direction for the next generation of poets ^[2]. He was a founder member of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti and the Bandaya Sahitya Sanghatane, and his songs gave young Dalits new confidence ^[2].

Writer and legislator

He wrote poetry, plays, short stories, criticism and an autobiography, Ooru Keri, whose blend of tragedy and comedy set a new tone for the form; his work has been translated into many languages ^[2]. He served two terms, 12 years in all, as a nominated member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, and chaired the Kannada Development Authority and the Kannada Book Authority ^[2].

His honours included the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 1986, the Nadoja title in 2007 and the Pampa Prashasti in 2020 ^[2]. He died on 11 June 2021 ^[2].