SEETARAMAIAH M.V., 1910-1990

Mysooru Venkatadasappa Seetharamaiah, (ಮೈಸೂರು ವೆಂಕಟದಾಸಪ್ಪ ಸೀತಾರಾಮಯ್ಯ) (maisUru veMkaTadAsappa sItArAmayya) was a scholar and creative writer who has contributed to Kannada literature and culture in various modes. He was born in Mysore and obtained his B.A. and M.A. degrees from the Mysore University. He was also trained in fine arts such as music (Mridangam) and painting. After a short stint as a secretary of Kannada Sahitya Parishath and as a co editor of the Kannada-English dictionary by the university of Mysore, M.V.S. was appointed as a lecturer in Kannada in the Government Arts College, Bangalore (1946-1963). He was the U.G.C. Professor in the Bangalore University between 1967 and 1974.

M.V.Seetharamaiah has written in almost all genres of literature such short stories, novel, drama, poetry, essay, biography and children's literature. However this note lays emphasis on his contributions to the fields of prosody, poetics, textual criticism and history of literature.

The major contribution of M.V.S. to the history of Kannada literature is his tireless labour in establishing Sri Vijaya as the author of ‘Kavirajamarga’. Nrupatunga the Rashtrakuta monarch might have pursued the work and approved its content. His edition of Kavirajamarga is aptly called ‘Sri Vijaya kruta Kavirajamarga’. He has edited another work on Kannada poetics called ‘Udayadityalankara’. He has written an independent work on the contribution of Kannada poets to Indian Poetics. He has contributed the volume ‘Shastra Sahitya’ to the series called ‘sAmAnyanige sAhityacaritre’ published by Bangalore University. He has also written another book on ancient Kannada grammars. ‘Archana’ and ‘Keertana Kusumanjali’ are collection of devotional songs wrotten by his ancestors. ‘Sri Krishnbalaleele’ is another edited work.

Seetaramaiah was the founder of ‘B.M.Sri. Pratishtana’ an institution dedicated to the study and publication of ancient Kannada texts. It has a well maintained library and a handsome collection of manuscripts. It has brought out many publications such as ‘Hastapratishastra’ (Manuscriptology), ‘Maniha’ (P.G.Halakatti Felicitation Volume) and ‘Kumaravyasa Bharatha Sangraha’. It is now an institution dedicated for advanced learning in Kannada.

He has won many awards such as the Rajyotsava Award’, ‘Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award’ and “Kannada Sahitya Parishath Award’. ‘AsvAda’ and ‘eM.vi.sI-80’ are the felicitation volumes presented to him.

Publications:

1. Udayādityālaṅkāraṃ by Udayāditya, Daṇḍin, M. V. Seetharamaiah, Published by Ḍi. Vi. Ke. Mūrti, 1970

2. ‘Pracheena Kannada Vyakaranagalu’, 1980, Mysore University, Mysore

3. ‘Bharateeya Kavyameemamsege Kannada Kavigala Koduge’, 1970, Prasaranga, Mysore University, Mysore.

4. ‘Shastra Sahitya’, ‘sAmAnyanige sAhityacaritre mAle’, 1975, Bangalore University, Bangalore

5. ‘Srivijaya Kruta Kavirajamarga’, 1968, Karnataka Sangha, Govt. College, Bangalore

6. ‘Kannada Sahityadalli Shantharasa’, 1970

7. ‘Archana’, B.M.Sri.Pratishthana, Bangalore

8. ‘Sri Krishna Leelamruta’ (two Volumes), B.M.Sri.Pratishthana, Bangalore.

9. ‘Keertana Kusumanjali’, B.M.Sri.Pratishthana, Bangalore

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