DINAKARA DESAI


  



  	
	
 
Poet: 


       
Dinakar Desai was famous as Poet. He commenced writing poems at an early age - in 1926 (approximately) by contributing to the small newspapers in the district.p

        
       
While pursuing higher education he came under the influence of eminent professors and literary personalities like V Seetharamaiah (ವೀಸಿ), T N Shrikantaiah (ತೀನಂಶ್ರೀ), T S Venkannaiah in Bengaluru; and, B M Srikantaiah (ಬಿಎಂಶ್ರೀ) in Mysuru. This was the impetus to his poetry writing. 

        
       
 With the encouragement of B M Srikantaiah (ಬಿಎಂಶ್ರೀ), ತಳಿರು (Taliru) - an anthology of poems by the young talents of the college was published in 1930. Dinakar Desai had his contribution.

        
       
 Dinakar Desai also started writing poems in his mother tongue Konkani in 1930.

        
       
 He tried and wrote poems in various formats, but settled to “chutuka” - four-line limerick. It is learned that he commenced writing “chutaka” sometime around the year 1955, and it became his signature format. His poems covered various genres and themes. 
 

        
       
Writer:

        
       
 Dinakar Desai, as writer had few publications. He wrote on some problems related to farmers, labourers, education, famine etc. and a travelogue. These works were not of much literary value, but proved useful and made good reading.
 

        
       
 Journalist:

        
       
 Dinakar Desai tried his hand as journalist also though it was not his cup of tea. He had no commercial interests either. He thought of educating the rural masses in the district highlighting the socio-economic problems confronting around them. Under his stewardship, Kanara WelfareTrust (KWT) commenced publication of Kannada weekly paper ಜನಸೇವಕ.The first issue was published on 26 January 1955. The paper was received well by the public. Ammembal Anand was the editor; leading literary figures in the District like Gourish Kaikini were contributing regularly. Dinakar Desai was playing active and leading role in writing critical assessment of the current affairs. The paper had also literary value. Most attractive and important item was a short poem of four lines (ಚುಟಕ) written by Dinakar Desai under the caption ಭತ್ತದ ತೆನೆ (bhattada tene). As mentioned earlier, the paper had no commercial interests and the Trust had run huge loss. The management of the paper thus took painful decision of discontinuing the paper, with the publication of the last issue on 2 August 1972. The paper was in circulation for more than seventeen years (18th year - 31 edition- 915 issues). 
 
 

       
 1. Awards and honours:[3] 


        
 Awards: 

        
       
  Bombay State Award in 1956 for poetical works ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಗೀತ; ಕವನ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ 

        Karnataka Sahitya Academi Award in 1972 in recognition of his contribution in literary field.
        “Varakavi” (ವರಕವಿ) felicitation in 1973 by Bombay Kannadigas.
        Karnatak University, Dharwad conferred Honorary Doctorate (D. Litt) in 1975 in recognition of his educational and social service.
        Government of Karnata awarded plaque with State map in recognition of service rendered in State unification.
        B N Gupta Janmabhumi Award for journalism in 1976
        Karnataka Sahitya Academi Award in 1980 for ದಿನಕರನ ಚೌಪದಿ (consolidated publication of his short poems - ಚುಟಕ)
        Tours abroad:
        
        
 Dinakar Desai toured Denmar to attend the convention of the International Labour Organization held at Copenhagen, Denmark in November1945. At this period he also toured in England and had study on labour, education etc. there. He narrated his experiences on these tours in a travelogue ನಾ ಕಂಡ ಪಡುವಣ. 

        
        
 Dinakar Desai toured USA as one of the members of the Indian delegation to convention of the International Labour Organization held at Seattle, USA in 1946. 

        
       
  Dinakar Desai toured England in 1959 at the invitation of the British Council and paid visit to the educational institutions there. 
 

        
        
 2. Publications: 
 

        
        
 particulars of the publishers indicated in brackets 

       
  I. Poems: 

        
      
   1. ರೈತರ ಹಾಡುಗಳು (1949) (ಉತ್ತರ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲಾ ರೈತಕೂಟ) 

        
       
  2. ಕವನ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ (1950) (ಶೇ. ಗೋ. ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ, ಸಾಧನ ಮುದ್ರಣಾಲಯ, ಧಾರವಾಡ) 

        
       
  3. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಗೀತಗಳು (1951) (ಶೇ. ಗೋ. ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ, ಸಾಧನ ಮುದ್ರಣಾಲಯ, ಧಾರವಾಡ) 

        
       
  4. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಪದ್ಯಗಳು (1956) (ಜನತಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶನ, ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ) 

         
       
  5. ಹೂಗೊಂಚಲು (1958) (ಜನತಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶನ, ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ) 

        
       
  6. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಪದ್ಯ (1976) (ಜನತಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶನ, ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ) 

         
       
  7. ದಿನಕರನ ಚೌಪದಿ (1978) (ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ) 

        
       
  8. ದಿನಕರಾಲಿ ಕವನಾಂ (ಕೊಂಕಣಿ) (1981) (ಸರ್ವಂಟ್ಸ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಸೊಸೈಟಿ, ಮುಂಬಯಿ) 

        
       
  9. ದಾಸಾಳ (1983) (ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ) 
 

        
       
  II. Books: 

        
       
  1. ಪ್ರಪಂಚದ ಕೆಲಸಗಾರ (1936) (ಸರ್ವಂಟ್ಸ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಸೊಸೈಟಿ, ಮುಂಬಯಿ) 

        
       
  2. Primary Education in India (1938) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai) 

         
       
  3. Maritime Labour in India (1940) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai) 

        
      
   4. The Mahamandaleshwaras under the Chalukyas of Kalyani (1951) (Indian Historical Research Institute, Mumbai) 

        
        
 5. ನಾ ಕಂಡ ಪಡುವಣ (1961) (ಮನೋಹರ ಗ್ರಂಥಮಾಲೆ, ಧಾರವಾಡ)

       
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