Legend Kannad Writer U R Anantha Murthy died at 82

U.R. Ananthamurthy

Jnanpith awardee and renowned Kannada writer UR Anantha Murthy on 22nd August died at a hospital in Bangalore, where he was undergoing treatment for kidney failure.

An educator, writer, and commentator second to none, Mr Anantha Murthy was a new voice in Kannada literature - part of the Navya movement. His novel Samskara questioned established caste conventions and caused controversy when it was published in the 1960s as it was strongly critical of Brahmin conventions.

Mr Anantha Murthy was never frightened about speaking his mind. His criticism of Narendra Modi saw him receive threatening calls and online abuse. When he said that he would not want to live in a country where Narendra Modi was prime minister, it resulted in a strong backlash.

Samskara was U.R. Ananthamurthy’s first novel which was a landmark. The novel looked at the caste system, religious codes, culture and traditions and the uncertain relationship between traditional and cultural values.

The novel, which sparked a raging controversy, was made into a film by Pattabhi Rama Reddy, which marked the dawn of parallel film movement in Kannada.

Aside from being a writer, Dr. Ananthamurthy wore many hats, including that of an English teacher, Vice-Chancellor, Sahitya Academy Chairman, National Book Trust president, and the head of Film and Television Institute of India.

Regarded as one of the prominent voices of the Navya (modernist) movement in Kannada literature, Dr. U.R. Ananthamurthy wrote six novels (Samskara, Bharatipura, Avasthe, Bhava, Divya and Preethi Mruthyu Mattu Bhaya) and one play (Avahane), apart from eight short story collections, three collections of poetry and eight compilations of essays in his literary career spanning six decades. His autobiography Suragi was published in 2012.

His landmark first novel Samskara looks at the caste system, religious codes, culture and traditions and the uncertain relationship between traditional and cultural values. The novel, which sparked a raging controversy, was made into a film.

Dr. Ananthamurthy was shortlisted for DSC Prize for South Asian literature in 2012 for his novel Bharatipura (1973), which mirrors his life-long preoccupation with moving beyond caste and class interests in modern society. He was nominated for the Man Booker International Prize in 2013 for his overall contribution to fiction, but lost to American Lydia Davis. He was among the 10 Indian writers to have made it to the finals of the prestigious award.