A. K. Ramanujan
Encyclopedia
Attipat Krishnaswami Ramanujan (1929–1993) was a scholar of Indian literature
who wrote in both English and Kannada
. Ramanujan wore many hats as a Indian poet, scholar and author, those of a philologist, folklorist, translator
, poet
and playwright
. His academic research ranged across five languages: Tamil
, Kannada
, Telugu
, Sanskrit
, and English
. He published works on both classical and modern variants of these literatures and also argued strongly for giving local, non-standard dialects their due.
family in Mysore City in 1929. He was educated at Marimallappa's High School and Maharaja College of Mysore
.
He was a Fellow of Deccan College, Pune
in 1958 - 59 and Fulbright Scholar at Indiana University
in 1959 - 62. He was educated in English at the Mysore University and received his Ph.D. in Linguistics
from Indiana University
.
In 1962, he became an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, where he was affiliated throughout the rest of his career. However, he did teach at several other U.S. universities at times, including Harvard, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, University of California at Berkeley, and Carlton College. At the University of Chicago, Ramanujan was instrumental in shaping the South Asian Studies program. He worked in the departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Linguistics, and with the Committee on Social Thought. In 1976, the government of India awarded him the honorific title "Padma Sri," and in 1983, he was given the MacArthur Prize Fellowship (Shulman, 1994).
and Belgaum
, he taught at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for about eight years. In 1962, he joined the University of Chicago
teaching in several departments. In 1983, he was appointed the William E. Colvin Professor in the Departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, of Linguistics, and in the Committee on Social Thought
at the University of Chicago
, and, the same year, he received a MacArthur Fellowship.
As an Indo-American writer Ramanujan had the experience of the native milieu as well as of the foreign milieu. His poems like the "Conventions of Despair" reflected his views on the cultures and conventions of the east and the west.
A. K. Ramanujan died in 1993 as result of adverse reaction to anesthesia
during preparation for surgery
.
and a few versions portrayed Rama and Sita as siblings, which run counter to Hindus' beliefs.
ABVP
a student wing of BJP opposed its inclusion in the syllabus, saying it hurt the majority Hindus' sentiments, who viewed Rama
and Sita
as Gods and were husband and wife. They demanded the essay be scrapped from the syllabus. In 2008 Delhi High Court directed the Delhi University to convene a committee to decide on the essay's inclusion. A 4-member committee was formed, which subsequently gave its verdict 3-1 in favour of inclusion in the syllabus.
The academic council however, ignored the committee's recommendation and voted to scrap the essay from its syllabus in Oct 2011. This led to protest by many historians and intellectuals, and accused the Delhi University of succumbing to non-historians' diktat.
and Medieval Kannada, such as:
Translations and studies of literature
Poetry, fiction and drama
A.K. Ramanujan's three books of Kannada Poetry, and a novella have been translated into English, and published by Oxford University Press. Poems And A Novella: Translated From Kannada(Hardcover - 2006-03-09)by A. K. Ramanujan (Author), Tonse N. K. Raju (Translator), Shouri Daniels-ramanujan (Translator). This collection has his poetry collections: 1) Hokkulalli Hoovilla (No Flower in the Lotus); 2) Mattu itara kategalU (And Other Poems); and 3) Kuntobille (Hopscotch). The novella in Kannada is titled "Mattobbana Atma Charitre" (Someone Else's Autobiography).
Indian literature
Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Republic of India has 22 officially recognized languages....
who wrote in both English and Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
. Ramanujan wore many hats as a Indian poet, scholar and author, those of a philologist, folklorist, translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. His academic research ranged across five languages: Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Kannada
Kannada language
Kannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He published works on both classical and modern variants of these literatures and also argued strongly for giving local, non-standard dialects their due.
Early life and education
He was born into an IyengarIyengar
Iyengar or Ayyangar is a caste given to Hindu Brahmins of Tamil origin who follow the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri Ramanujacharya. They are found mostly in Tamil Nadu as they are generally native to the Tamil Nadu state of the Republic of India...
family in Mysore City in 1929. He was educated at Marimallappa's High School and Maharaja College of Mysore
Maharaja College of Mysore
-History & Evolution:It was one of the constituent colleges of Madras University and transferred to Mysore University in 1916. It is one of the oldest colleges of South India. It is the first college for higher studies built by an Indian king at the time of British rule. Former President of India...
.
He was a Fellow of Deccan College, Pune
Deccan College (Pune)
Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute is a post-graduate institute of Archeology and Linguistics in Pune, India.Established October 6, 1821, Deccan College is one of the oldest institutions of modern learning in India...
in 1958 - 59 and Fulbright Scholar at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1959 - 62. He was educated in English at the Mysore University and received his Ph.D. in Linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
In 1962, he became an assistant professor at the University of Chicago, where he was affiliated throughout the rest of his career. However, he did teach at several other U.S. universities at times, including Harvard, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, University of California at Berkeley, and Carlton College. At the University of Chicago, Ramanujan was instrumental in shaping the South Asian Studies program. He worked in the departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Linguistics, and with the Committee on Social Thought. In 1976, the government of India awarded him the honorific title "Padma Sri," and in 1983, he was given the MacArthur Prize Fellowship (Shulman, 1994).
Career
Having been a lecturer in English at QuilonQuilon
Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...
and Belgaum
Belgaum
Belgaum is a city and a municipal corporation in Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the fourth largest city of the state of Karnataka, the first three being Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad....
, he taught at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for about eight years. In 1962, he joined the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
teaching in several departments. In 1983, he was appointed the William E. Colvin Professor in the Departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, of Linguistics, and in the Committee on Social Thought
Committee on Social Thought
The Committee on Social Thought is one of several PhD-granting committees at the University of Chicago. It was started in 1941 by historian John Ulric Nef along with economist Frank Knight, anthropologist Robert Redfield, and University President Robert Maynard Hutchins.The committee is...
at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, and, the same year, he received a MacArthur Fellowship.
As an Indo-American writer Ramanujan had the experience of the native milieu as well as of the foreign milieu. His poems like the "Conventions of Despair" reflected his views on the cultures and conventions of the east and the west.
A. K. Ramanujan died in 1993 as result of adverse reaction to anesthesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
during preparation for surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
.
Contributions to South Asian Studies
A. K. Ramanujan's theoretical and aesthetic contributions span several disciplinary areas. In his cultural essays such as "Is There an Indian Way of Thinking?" (1990) he explains cultural ideologies and behavioral manifestations thereof in terms of an Indian psychology he calls "context-sensitive" thinking. In his work in folklore studies, Ramanujan highlights the intertextuality of the Indian oral and written literary tradition. His essay "Where Mirrors Are Windows: Toward an Anthology of Reflections" (1989), and his commentaries in The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a Classical Tamil Anthology (1967) and Folktales from India, Oral Tales from Twenty Indian Languages (1991) are good examples of his work in Indian folklore studies.Controversy regarding his essay
His 1991 essay "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translations" courted controversy over its inclusion in B.A., History syllabus of Delhi University. It was included in 2006. In this essay, he had written about existence of many versions of RamayanaRamayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and a few versions portrayed Rama and Sita as siblings, which run counter to Hindus' beliefs.
ABVP
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad , is an all India student organization working in the field of education. ABVP was founded in 1948 and formally registered on 9 July 1949.-History:...
a student wing of BJP opposed its inclusion in the syllabus, saying it hurt the majority Hindus' sentiments, who viewed Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
as Gods and were husband and wife. They demanded the essay be scrapped from the syllabus. In 2008 Delhi High Court directed the Delhi University to convene a committee to decide on the essay's inclusion. A 4-member committee was formed, which subsequently gave its verdict 3-1 in favour of inclusion in the syllabus.
The academic council however, ignored the committee's recommendation and voted to scrap the essay from its syllabus in Oct 2011. This led to protest by many historians and intellectuals, and accused the Delhi University of succumbing to non-historians' diktat.
Selected publications
His works include translations from Classical TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and Medieval Kannada, such as:
Translations and studies of literature
- The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a Classical Tamil Anthology, 1967
- Speaking of Siva, 1973
- The Literatures of India. Edited with Edwin Gerow. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1974
- Hymns for the Drowning, 1981
- Poems of Love and War. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985
- Folktales from India, Oral Tales from Twenty Indian Languages, 1991
- "Is There an Indian Way of Thinking?" in India Through Hindu Categories, edited by McKim Marriot, 1990
- When God Is a Customer: Telugu Courtesan Songs by Ksetrayya and Others (with Velcheru Narayana Rao and David Shulman), 1994
- A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India, 1997
Poetry, fiction and drama
- The Striders. London: Oxford University Press, 1966
- Hokkulalli Huvilla, No Lotus in the Navel. Dharwar, 1969
- Relations. London, New York: Oxford University Press, 1971
- Selected Poems. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1976
- Samskara. (translation of U R Ananthamurthy's novel) Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1976
- Mattu Itara Padyagalu and Other Poems. Dharwar, 1977
- Second Sight. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986
A.K. Ramanujan's three books of Kannada Poetry, and a novella have been translated into English, and published by Oxford University Press. Poems And A Novella: Translated From Kannada(Hardcover - 2006-03-09)by A. K. Ramanujan (Author), Tonse N. K. Raju (Translator), Shouri Daniels-ramanujan (Translator). This collection has his poetry collections: 1) Hokkulalli Hoovilla (No Flower in the Lotus); 2) Mattu itara kategalU (And Other Poems); and 3) Kuntobille (Hopscotch). The novella in Kannada is titled "Mattobbana Atma Charitre" (Someone Else's Autobiography).
External links
- Attipati Krishnasami Ramanujan (addhe), Candy Wagoner
- A.K. Ramanjuan, oldpoetry.com
- http://allpoetry.com/A.K._Ramanujan
- http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040530/asp/opinion/story_3299009.asp
- http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article2224815.ece
- http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?211094
- http://yabaluri.org/TRIVENI/CDWEB/voyagewithinandvoyagewithoutjan2007.htm
- http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/01/13/stories/2008011350160500.htm
- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go2081/is_3_121/ai_n28875385/
- http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2008/03/2120
- http://www.hindu.com/lr/2005/12/04/stories/2005120400180400.htm
- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20051218/spectrum/book2.htm
- http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft067n99wt&brand=ucpress
- http://yabaluri.org/TRIVENI/CDWEB/thefamilyrelationshipsoct98.htm
- http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pehook/226.sangam.html
- http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=163480§ioncode=21
- http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?277644
- http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?236954
- http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030803/asp/opinion/story_2160364.asp
- http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft3j49n8h7;brand=eschol
- http://yabaluri.org/TRIVENI/CDWEB/theexpatriatesensibilityofakramanujanjan95.htm
- http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft1k4003tz