K. S. Bhagawan

Kallahalli Sannegowda Bhagawan (born 14 July 1945),[1] known as Prof. K. S. Bhagawan, is an Indian Kannada writer, rationalist, translator, critic, scholar and retired professor. In addition to his works on Hinduism, Indian culture and history, he has translated the works of William Shakespeare including Julius Caesar and Hamlet.[1] He is a recipient of many awards including the Rajyotsava Award, Kuvempu Award and the Lokayata Award.[2][3]

K. S. Bhagawan
Prof. Bhagawan at an event in Mysore
Born (1945-07-14) 14 July 1945
Kalahalli, Kingdom of Mysore (now in Karnataka)India
NationalityIndian
EducationMA, D.Litt
Alma materUniversity of Mysore
Occupation(s)Writer, professor, translator
Notable work · Shankaracharya mattu Pratigamitana (ಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರತಿಗಾಮಿತನ)
 · Kuvempu Yuga (ಕುವೆಂಪು ಯುಗ)
MovementBandaya movement
Children1

Career

Bhagawan acquired a post-graduate degree in English language from University of Mysore.[1] As a professor, he taught English at Maharaja's College in Mysore.[4] At the same time, he worked as a writer and translator. In 1982, his work Shankaracharya and Reactionary Philosophy (original title: ಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರತಿಗಾಮಿತನ), a collection of essays, on how Adi Shankara, an 8th-century Hindu theologian, advocated the caste system strongly, destroyed Buddhist viharas and was against education for women, shudras and dalits, was published.[1][5] It was met with criticism from right-wing Hindu groups who issued threats to his life. His other books in Kannada include Badalaavane, Antarya and Kuvempu Yuga. As a translator, he translated popular works of William Shakespeare to Kannada. It includes Merchant of Venice as Venisina Vartaka, and others such as Julius Caesar, Hamlet and Othello..

Bhagawan was chosen for the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement for the year 2013.[6]

Controversies

At an event in Mysore on 15 February 2015, Bhagawan said that he would burn certain pages of the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita. Police also filed FIR against him for "hurting" religious sentiments.[7] He said that verse 32 and 33 in chapter 9 of the scripture describes women, vaishyas and shudras as "sinners" [paapayonaha].[8]

Following the murder of another Kannada writer and rationalist M. M. Kalburgi, a Bajrang Dal activist from Mangalore threatened that Bhagawan would be the next target for "mock[ing] Hinduism",[9] with the arrest of the activist, the security at Bhagwan's residence was tightened.[10]

Selected bibliography

In Kannada
  • ಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರತಿಗಾಮಿತನ (1982)
  • ಬದಲಾವಣೆ (1982)
  • ಅಂತರ್ಯ (1978)
  • ಕುವೆಂಪು ಯುಗ (1990)
  • ಅನನ್ಯತೆ
  • ಭಾಷೆ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ
  • ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಪಾಠಗಳು
  • ಗಾಂಧಿಯನ್ನು ಗೋಡ್ಸೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಕೊಂದ

Translations
  • Hindu Saamrajyashahiya Itihasa

(translation of Swami Dharma Theertha's History of Hindu Imperialism)

Shakespeare's plays:

In English
  • Violence in Hinduism

Awards
  • Kavyanand Award (1982)
  • Kuvempu Prize (1985)
  • Rajyotsava Prashasti (1999)
  • Naada Chethana Award (2003)
  • Poet-laureate Kuvempu Birth centenary Award (2004)
  • Karnataka Nataka Academy Awards (2007)
  • Kuvempu Award (2011)
  • Shoonya Peetha Prashasthi (2011)
  • Sahitya Kalaratna Award (2011)
  • Karnataka Sahithya Academy Award (2013)
  • Lokayata Award (2014)
  • Karnataka Kranthirathna Award (2015)

References
  1. Kartik Chandra Dutt (1 January 1999). Who's who of Indian Writers, 1999: A-M. Sahitya Akademi. p. 132. ISBN 978-81-260-0873-5.
  2. "Shimoga now gets snazzy auditorium". The Hindu. 14 April 2005. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  3. "ಪ್ರೊ.ಕೆ.ಎಸ್‌.ಭಗವಾನ್‌ಗೆ 'ಲೋಕಾಯತ' ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ" [Lokayata Award for Prof. K. S. Bhagawan] (in Kannada). 8 July 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  4. Misra, Udit (7 September 2015). "On the record: Intolerance has grown… I don't see any difference between one political party and another, says rationalist KS Bhagwan". The Indian Express. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  5. Prof K S Bhagwan. "You can attack us but our works will live on: Prof KS Bhagwan". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  6. "K.S. Bhagawan, four others chosen for Sahitya Academy award". The Hindu. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  7. "FIR against Kannada writer KS Bhagawan for 'speaking ill about Hindu Gods'". The Economic Times. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  8. "Will stick to my stand: Bhagwan". Deccan Herald. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  9. Chishti, Seema. "After MM Kalburgi, tweet names next target: K S Bhagwan". The Indian Express. No. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  10. "Police security for writer K.S. Bhagwan". The Hindu. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
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