Giving one’s all for the revival of the Kannada language and establishing a firm foundation for its growth in the coming century, and yet remaining an unassuming humble person – this was Professor L. Gundappa.

Sources

Articles in Kannada (a South Indian language) newspapers: :Article by Prof. G. Venakatasubbaiah in "Kannada Prabha" January 5, 2004; and various authors in "Prajavaani" January 4, 2004 and "Vijaya Karnataka" Sunday 11 January 2004. These articles were written in Kannada as part of centennial celebrations for L. Gundappa.

Early Education

Gundappa was born on January 8, 1903 to Chennamma and Lingannayya, a Brahmin

Brahmin

Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...

 couple in the small south Indian village Matighatta. His early childhood education was in historical Belur where he assimilated a meticulous and in-depth education in Sanskrit and the Vedas. He had quite a mastery of Sanskrit by the time he completed his middle school education. Seeking a proper high school education, Gundappa moved to Chikkamagalooru. There, the young Gundappa got noticed for his original devotional poems in Sanskrit that he composed and presented at a welcoming ceremony for Abhinava Vidya Theertha Swami, the religious leader (pontiff) of the Sringeri Vidya Peetha. The Swami declared that a small monthly stipend would be awarded from the Sringeri Matha to support Gundappa's college education.

College Education and Inspirations

The Mysore Maharaja’s College where Gundappa studied was a fertile ground of intellectuals working for India’s rising from oppression by the British Raj. Movements were being born at the universities urging Indians to rediscover their own heritage hereto neglected under foreign rule. Several of the leaders were literary giants of the day who were faculty members at the university including B.M.Sri (Gundappa’s mentor), T.S. Venkataiah, and A.R. Krishnashastry. Gundappa was drawn to this cause of rediscovering the pride in Indian culture and literature. Urged by his mentor to learn another Indian language than his mother tongue Kannada, Gundappa chose Tamil as a part of the curriculum for a Masters degree in languages. He set out to serve the Kannada people by re-introducing them to their own glorious heritage by writing works of literature from Sanskrit, Tamil, and English (selecting world literature translated to English by others) by way of meticulous translations to Kannada that were to be his life’s work.

L. Gundappa served as a professor of Kannada literature in Bangalore University for most of his career.

Family life

Gundappa was married to Smt. Sharada of Akki Hebbal and had 7 children, of whom Dr. L.G. Sumitra made original contributions to Kannada Folklore, folk Music, and broadcasting (winning HOSO Bunka, an international Award for broadcasting). Vimala Rajagopal applied Kannada folk music to the field of music therapy and also teaches Kannada as a foreign language in the US. Kamala Balu was a national newcaster in Kannada from New Delhi. Amritheshwar is an author of children's books, Veena Rao is a painter and nutritionist, Dr. Vasanthi Culleton, a researcher and scientific writer for the pharmaceutical industry and L. G. Jyothishwara, a producer of travel books and videos about historic venues in Karnataka. Additionally, Sumitra, Vimala and Kamala were singers widely known already in their teens as L.G. sisters, who popularized kannada folk songs and Bhava Geethegalu (light songs) by contemporary poets such as pu.thi. Na and Bendre.

Awards

• B.M. Sri Memorial Gold medal (1930)
• Devaraja Bahaddur Award (1935)
• Tamil Writer’s Association award (1956)
• Kannada Sahitya Academy Award (1975)

Original Works of L. Gundappa

(Kannada title followed by a translation of the meaning)

• Chataki mattu Itara Kavanagalu - Chataki and other poems – including the children’s favorite “Appana jebina duddugalella”
• Kannadi Seve’ – premier book on the art of translation
• Tamilu purathana Kathegalu matthu Hariharan Ragale– the ancient stories of Tamil and the Ragale by Harihara
• Sarvagna and Thiruvalluvar (an essay)
• Kannad Sahitya Chitragalu – Volumes I, II and III (Collections of Essays)
• Natygarthiyaru – The Dancers – Madhavi is Shilappadigaram (Essay)
• Yuddha Siddahte mattu vyuha rachane – Preparation for war (Essay)
• Kavi Vani – The Poet’s Message
• Mukunda Mala (interconversions of prose and poetry)
• Avvayyar and other essays
• Bhasa’s Karna – an essay on the character “Karna” by the poet Bhasa
• Avvayyar Krutigalu - Avvayyar’s works
• Pampa Parichaya – introduction to Pampa (an ancient Kannada writer)
• Pampana Hita Vachanagalu – The Teachings of Pampa
• Kamba Ramayana – The Ramayana by Kamba (Essay)
• Arundhati (An old song)
• Bahubali Chritram – the History of Bahubali (a Jain king and later, a monk)

Books for which L. Gundappa was Editor/publisher

• Adipuraana Sangraha (Editor) – A book on the history of Jainism and the essence of Jain Religious teaching
• Naada Padagalu (Editor) – songs collected by Matighatta Krishnamurthi
• Nala Charitre – Story of Nala
• Sri Bhagavaccharitre
• Sri Jyothirlinga Swamigala Jeevana Charitre – The Biography of Sri. Jyothirlinga swami
• Srimadabhinava Vidyathirtha Vijayam

Translations from Tamil

(or from Kannada to Tamil where specified)

• Periya Puranam
• Subrahmanya Baratiyavara Prabhandagalu
• Rashtrabhakta Kavi bharati
• Bharatiyavara Kavithegalu
• Tamilu Sahitya Charitre
• Avvayyar
• Nanna Charitre
• Thirukkural
• Nalmani Kaduku
• Vyasara Outhana (From Kannada to Tamil)
• Thiruvachakam
• Pallikondapuram
• Shilappadigaram
• Perungathai (The story of Udayana)
• Rajavaidya (Translation of a story by Swaminatha Iyer)
• Devane (Translation of a story by Rajaji)
• Kaagakka (The story of Ka. Na. Jagannath)
• Tamilu Bhasha Bandhavya – on the relationship between Tamil and Kannda
• Attishoody
• Konrainendan
• Madhurai, Haleya Maathu – The old story of Madhurai
• Nalvali
• Thiruvaarura Hirime – The greatness of Thiruvaayur

Translations from Sanskrit to Kannada

• Bhasana Ekanka Natakagalu – the one-act plays of Bhasa
• Charudatta
• Pratigna yogandharayana
• Swapna Vasavadatta
• Pancharatra

Manuscripts

• Gita Govida
• Kannagi (dance-drama)
• Sosi maatadu
• Thakurara balinalli
• Shilappadikaram – ondu parichaya
• Mukunda mala (interconversions of prose and poetry)
• Lokaneeti Matthu Etara Kelavu Neeti padyagalu - The way of the world and other poems
• Chintanagalu – Broadcast from All India Radio

Translations of World Literature from English to Kannada

• Tolstoy Avara Kathegalu – Short stories by Leo Tolstoy
  Leo Tolstoy
  Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
  
  
• Sohrab Matthu Rustum (Neelgavana) – The Ballad f Sohrab and Rustum by Matthew Arnold (Awarded the B.M. Sri Memorial Gold Medal while Gundappa was a Student)
• Thomas Alva Edison
• Florence Nightingale
  Florence Nightingale
  Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
  
  
• Nara – Raakshasa – Jekyll and Hyde, by Robert Louis Stephenson
• Kutumba Soukhya - Family Happiness by Leo Tolstoy
  Leo Tolstoy
  Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
  
  
• Nage Hoge – Adventures in Bukhara – a novel set in Turkey

Manuscripts

• Buddiya Bhoota (the Bottle Imp)
• Kruiter’s Sonata (a story by Leo Tolstoy)
• Narakada Naasha Matthu Punaruddhara (a story by Leo Tolstoy on the resurrection from hell)
• Vasanthada Aadikala – a novel
• Kallumari (a story by Leo Tolstoy)
• Namageshtu Bhoomi Beku (a story by Leo Tolstoy)
• Ebbaru Yatrikaru (a story by Leo Tolstoy)

Other literary works

• Nighantu – A dictionary (Kannada to English)
• Kannada Bharata Katha Manjari (Collected short stories of India)
• Thorave Ramayana
• Kannda Vyakarana Paathagalu – lessons in Kannada grammar
• Panchatantrada Kathegalu – stories of Panchatantra
• Translation of poems by Indian poets for a national Convention of poets