NANDIMATHA S.C., 1900-1975

Shivalingaiah Chennabasavaiah Nandimatha (shivalingayya cennabasavayya nandImaTa) (ಶಿವಲಿಂಗಯ್ಯ ಚೆನ್ನಬಸವಯ್ಯ ನಂದೀಮಠ) was a well known scholar and educationist in North Karnataka. He was born in a small village named ‘nandi’ in Gokak talluk of Belgaum district. He secured a B.A. degree from the Karnataka College, Dharwar (1924) and an M.A. degree in Sanskrit from the University of Bombay. (1926) He worked in the Rajaram College, Kolhapur for a short while and moved over to United Kingdom for higher studies. He had the opportunity to work under the guidance of L.D. Barnet a great scholar in Indology with particular reference to Karnataka. He was awarded a Ph.D. for his dissertation titled ‘Theology of the Shaivagamas: a survey of the doctrine of Shaiva Siddantha and Virasaivism’, in 1930, from the University of Cambridge. This thesis was later published under the title, ‘A Handbook of Veerashaivism: Religion and philosophy” (1942) (1930, from the University of Cambridge). After his return, he worked as a lecturer in Sanskrit in the University of Bombay. But a keen desire to work for the progress of the Kannada regions of South Maharashtra brought him back to Belgaum as the founder Principal of the celebrated Lingaraja College in that city. (1943-44) He worked diligently for his chosen cause and ‘Karnataka Lingayat Education Society’ became a name to reckon with. The Basaveshvara College in Bagalakot is yet another accomplishment of Dr Nandimath. He was a member of the senate as well as the Syndicate of Bombay University and promoted the cause of a separate University for North Karnataka. He was one of the architects of Karnatak University. He was a Professor of Sanskrit in Karnatak University and occupied important positions such as the registrar and the Vice Chancellor for short stints.

He was an accomplished scholar and he was conversant with languages such as Prakrit, Pali, Sanskrit, and English and of course Kannada. He has published many books and articles whenever he found time amidst his administrative activities. He has published analytical articles on the inscriptions found at Arjunavada, (arjunavADa) Gummalapura (gummaLApura) and Chaudadanapura. (cauDadAnapura) Some of his important publications are as follows:

1. ‘A Handbook of Virasaivism’, (With a foreword by R.D. Ranade) 1942, L.E. Association, Dharwar.

2. ‘Karnatakada Dharmagalu’, (karnATakada dharmagaLu) 1957, Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Bangalore.

3. ‘Chaudadanapur-A monograph’, 1973, Vishvabharathi Vidyapeetha.

4. ‘Sunyasampadane’ (shUnya sampAdane) translated and edited, (with others) 1965, Karnatak University, Dharwar.

5. ‘Theology of the Shaivagamas: a survey of the doctrine of Shaiva Siddantha and Virasaivism’, 2001, International School of Dravidian Linguistics.

1. ‘Girijakalyana Mahaprabandha’, (Edited Work) (A Champu Epic by Harihara),

2. ‘Kannada Kuvalayananda’ (kannDa kuvalayAnanda (Translation), (With A.Dikshita) 1970.

3. ‘Dr S.C. Nadimathara Lekhanagalu’, (DA. es. si. nandImaTara lEKanagaLu), 2007, Edited by B.V. Shirur, Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara, Bangalore.

Nandimatha was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Karnatak University in 1975. He chaired the 35^th ‘Kannada sahitya Sammelana’ held at Belur in 1952.

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