T. V. Venkatachala Sastry

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry

Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry, PhD
Born (1933-08-26) 26 August 1933
Kanakapura, Bangalore, British India
Nationality Indian
Fields Kannada literature, Kannada grammar, criticism, editing
Institutions Osmania UniversityHyderabad, University of Mysore, B. M. Sri Pratisthana, Mulukanadu Mahasangha
Alma mater Maharaja College, Mysore
Known for Mahakavyalakshana (1969), Sreevatsa Nighantu (1971), Mulukanadu Brahmanaru (2000), Udaracharitaru Udattaprasangagalu (2002), Kannada Chandomimase (2003),
Notable awards Kannada State Award (1988), Kannada Sahitya Akademi Award (Hon.) (1997), Bhashasamman (2002), Aryabhata Award (2006)
Spouse Venkatalakshmi

Signature

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's Signature
Website
T. V. Venkatachala Sastry

Togere Venkatasubbasastry Venkatachala Sastry (Kannada: ಟಿ.ವಿ.ವೆoಕಟಾಚಲಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೀ) is an acclaimed Kannada writer, grammatician, critic, editor and lexicographer.[References 1][References 2][References 3] He has authored in excess of 100 books, translations and has edited collections of essays, biographical sketches and felicitation volumes.[References 4][References 5] Recipient of the prestigious Kannada Sahitya Akademi Award (honorary), T. V. Venkatachala Sastry is an authority on Kannada language grammar and its various facets ranging from the metre scale (Kannada: ಛoದಸ್ಸು) on which he has written extensively to history of Kannada literature spanning two millennia.[References 6] His book Mulukanadu Brahmanaru is a sociological study of the Mulukanadu community since the early 17th century, outlining their origin, migration and embrace of western education. It records in detail their history with fifty and odd family trees and assumes importance in the field of caste studies. T. V. Venkatachala Sastry was a Kannada professor at the University of Mysore and additionally held the post of Director at "Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe" before retiring in 1994.

Early life

Origins

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's birthplace (Harohalli Village, Kanakapura, Bangalore)

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry was born on the 26th day of August 1933 at Harohalli village in Kanakapura taluk of Bangalore district to Brahmin parents Venkatasubba Sastry and Subbamma. T. V. Venkatachala Sastry belongs to Telugu speaking South Indian "Mulukanadu" sect. His parents had little education and were devotees of the Ramakrishna Order.[References 7]

Education

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry during his student years (Also seen - S. Srikanta Sastri - fifth from left - bottom row)

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry had his primary schooling at Kanakapura near Bangalore. At the age of 15, he finished his Intermediate course in the year 1947–48. From 1948 till 1954, he would spend the next six years pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate degrees at University of Mysore. He joined Yuvaraja College, Mysore in the year 1948 where he came under the influence of noted Kannada professors N. Anantarangachar and U. K. Subbarayachar. In 1950, he joined B. A. (Honours) course in Kannada at Maharaja College.[References 8] Among his teaching faculty were renowned scholars like K. V. Puttappa (Kuvempu) who taught "Pampa Bharata" and "Literary Criticism", D. L. Narasimhachar (History of Literature), S. Srikanta Sastri (Cultural History of Karnataka)(see group photograph), K. V. Raghavachar (Kannada classic – "Basavarajadevara Ragale"), N. Anantarangachar (Kannada Grammar – "Shabdamanidarpana"), T. S. Shamarao (Vachanas of Basavanna) and Parameshwar Bhatt (Bharatesha Vaibhava). He worked on Pampa, Ranna, Harihara, Nemichandra, Raghavanka and Kumaravyasa utilizing ancient texts both from Mysore University library and the Oriental Research Institute, Mysore. He completed his Master of Arts (Kannada) degree from Maharaja College, Mysore in the year 1953–54.

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry at his graduation (1953–54)

Career

Osmania University

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry with G. S. Shivarudrappa while at Osmania University, Hyderabad

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry began his career as a lecturer at Kanakapura rural college in the year 1955. Later, he shifted to St. Joseph's College, Bangalore in the year 1957 and continued till 1959 as a lecturer there. Subsequently he was appointed as lecturer at Osmania University in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh in 1959 where he worked hard to lend shape to the nascent Kannada department.[References 9] In addition to his teaching duties at the University, he also taught at several Women's and Arts Colleges. He involved himself avidly in the affairs of the "Telugu Sahitya Akademi" and during these years put together his "Mahakavyalakshana". He translated Sophocles' "Trakiya Pengal" during his tenure at Osmania University. Later he translated "Prometheus Bound" by Aeschylus into Kannada. His dictionary titled "Sreevatsa Nighantu" took form while at Osmania University. After being transferred from women's college to the University's Post Graduate department, T. V. Venkatachala Sastry involved himself teaching topics like "Kannada Chandassu", Kannada Grammar and "Suktisudarnava". It was during these years that he set out to do doctoral research and this brought him closer to his former teacher and mentor D. L. Narasimhachar. In fact, D. L. Narasimhachar suggested a doctoral work on "Kannada Neminathapurana Tulanathmaka",[References 10] which T. V. V. Sastry took up in earnest. In February 1968, University of Mysore's "Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe" embarked on organising a symposium to celebrate eighth centennial of Basavanna and requested T. V. V. Sastry at Osmania University to pen a paper on "Vachana Sahitya". T. V. Venkatachala Sastry took up the project and mailed back a sixty page write-up which immediately caught the attention of "Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe" director and his former teacher D. Javaregowda who discussed it thence with H. M. Nayak. The litterateurs were suitably impressed and ultimately persuaded T. V. V. Sastry to relocate to University of Mysore. Thus he left Osmania University in 1968 to occupy the post of Lecturer at Mysore University.[References 11]

University of Mysore

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry came to University of Mysore from Osmania University, Hyderabad in 1968 and took up the Lecturer's post in Kannada Department. Under the guidance of his former teacher and mentor D. L. Narasimhachar and H. M. Nayak, he pursued his doctoral work on "A Comparative Study of Kannada Neminathapuranas" and earned his PhD by 1972. Two years hence in 1974, he was made a Reader in the Kannada department - a post he would hold till 1984 whence he was elevated to the post of Professor. He continued as Professor for the next decade until his retirement in 1994. For the last few years of his tenure, he was given additional responsibilities as Director of Institute of Kannada Studies, University of Mysore (1991 - 1993) and later as Dean of Arts (1992 - 1993). Post-retirement Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry was visiting Professor for a year (1997) at Kannada University, Hampi. Across four decades of his teaching career, Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry has inspired thousands of students with his lucid, authoritative and insightful lectures in the classroom and has guided nine PhD (Doctoral) students so far.[References 12]

Institute of Kannada Studies, Mysore

Group Photograph showing T. V. Venkatachala Sastry with A. L. Basham (1956) while at Mysore University

University of Mysore's Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe's prominent publications such as "Kannada Sahitya Charitre", "Kannada Chandassina Charithre", "Kannada Vishaya Viswakosha", and "Epigraphia Carnatica" owe a great deal to Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's erudition, perseverance and steadfast administrative acumen. His skills as an editor helped assemble and streamline many of these volumes in addition to several felicitation volumes for eminent personalities. Dr T. V. V. Sastry was director between 1991 – 1993 at University of Mysore's "Kuvempu Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe" before occupying the chair of Dean of Arts at the University till 1994. Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry was at University of Mysore for 26 years in various positions – Lecturer (1968), Reader (1974), Professor (1984), Director (1991–1992) and Dean of Arts (1992–1993) before retiring in April 1994 at the age of 60 years. He is married to Venkatalakshmi and currently resides at Mysore.[References 13]

Bibliography

Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry with Indologist Prof Sheldon Pollock

Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's writings span over four decades and number in excess of 100. His writings encompass a range of vistas such as History of Kannada Literature, Prosody, Literary Criticism, Kannada grammar, Kannada Poetry, Dictionary writing & editing, Editorship, Translations and much more.[References 14][References 15] In fact, he was the first to offer an elaborate discussion on Devachandra's Rajavalikathe and Kempunarayana's Mudra Manjusha. His PhD work titled Kannada Neminatha Puranagala Toulanika Adhyayana attracted considerable attention in literary circles. He has authored close to seven works on Grammar, six on Prosody, two on Aesthetics, six different dictionaries on various subjects, twenty four studies on Literary Criticism and Research studies, eleven biographies, twenty two edited volumes and prose works, four translations and four bibliographies in all. In addition to these, he has penned four plays and four collections of Essays which bear testament to his creative brilliance. Various articles on issues of great literary value were collectively brought out in ten volumes under the title of Śāstrīya: Samputagalu 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 which was published in 1999. As an Editor Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry has led such distinguished projects as History of Kannada Literature (Mysore University), Revision and Reprint of Epigraphia Carnatica, Kannada Dictionary Project of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Anthology of Ancient Literature, Revision and Prose Translation of Kumaravyasa Bharata by Kannada Gamaka Parishat and publication of Complete Jaina Literature by Kannada University, Hampi. T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's vast repertoire of knowledge and elaborate writing has attracted scholars from far and wide. Significant among these scholars who came to him were Prof Laurie Honke (Finland), Prof Showman (Canada), Prof Karl Johanssen (U.S.A), Prof Sefan Anacker (Switzerland) and the famous Indologist Prof Sheldon Pollock (U.S.A) (pictured with T. V. V. Sastry).

Research & Literary Criticism

"Mulukanadu Brahmanaru" by T. V. Venkatachala Sastry

Grammar

Poetry

Plays

Prometheus being bound by Vulcan

Prosody

Lexicography

Biographies

Editorship

Translations

Essays

Bibliographical work

Recognition

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry receiving the Masti Award (2008)

Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's vast contribution to world of Kannada Literature has been time and again acknowledged from various quarters with several awards and accolades. He is also recipient of the prestigious "Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award" (Honorary) for the year 1997. He even presided over the Dharmasthala Literary Festival in the year 2002. Some of the prominent awards are listed here.[References 62]

Legacy

T. V. Venkatachala Sastry in his study

He is remembered by generations of students who are grateful for his endearing, affectionate and scholarly devotion. His colleagues and scholars have time and again complemented his erudition, depth of knowledge, scholarship and humanity. Probably, the noted Kannada litterateur Dr M. Chidananda Murthy's tribute to Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry summarises his persona the best:[References 68]

Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry's multifaceted learning, brilliant memory and refusal to propose anything without first backing it with evidence is indeed commendable. His writings are characteristically devoid of presumptions. Even while quoting and discussing scholars & writers of yore, there is a conspicuous absence of narrow minded, sectarian nepotism. In fact, to even question his ideas, one has to first think long and think hard!- Dr M. Chidananda Murthy

Dr T. V. Venkatachala Sastry currently resides at his residence in Mysore, India with his wife Venkatalakshmi and devotes his time to writing, reviewing, editing and critiquing literary works. As part of his felicitation for lifetime contribution to Kannada language & literature, two festschrift volumes "Srimukha" & "Kannada Meru"[References 69] were presented.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to T. V. Venkatachala Sastry.

References

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