Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 15: Renowned Tulu-Kannada scholar, folklorist, and former president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Dr Vamana Nandavara (82), passed away on Saturday after a prolonged illness.

Dr Nandavara is survived by his wife, writer Chandrakala Nandavara, a son, and a daughter. A native of Nandavara village in Bantwal taluk, he was the son of Babu Balepuni and Poovamma.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr Nandavara was honoured with numerous awards, including the Kantavara Kannada Sangha Award, Tulu Sahitya Academy Honorary Award, Polali Sheenappa Hegde Award, Karnataka Nataka Academy Honorary Award, and the Bannanje Babu Amin Award.

His literary contributions span various genres, including poetry, folklore studies, and critical essays. Some of his notable works include the Kannada poetry collection Taalamela, the Tulu-Kannada riddle collection Olepataki, the Tulu folklore study Tuluvere Kusal-Kusel, and the Tulu folk analysis Singadana and Tulu?u Panikate.

He also authored Koti-Chennaya: Folklore and Beyond, a critique of DVG’s literature titled Nambike, and several other works such as Ajji Tankina Puli, Nettara Neera, Inchitti Tulu Natakolu, Tulu Sahitya Charitre, Tulu Janapadada Acharane, and a biography of psychologist Sir James George Frazer.

His children's literature works include Koti-Chennaya, the Tulu poetry collection Beer, and the story compilation Kidigediya Keetale and Onji Kope Katikulu.

Dr. Nandavara’s book Tuluvere Kusal-Kusel won the Central Institute of Indian Languages Award, while Singadana Mattu Janapada Suttamutta was recognized by the Kannada and Culture Department. His work Koti Chennaya Janapadiya Adhyayana received the Book Authority's Pustaka Sogasu award.