K. S. Nissar Ahmed

Nissar Ahmed was born in Devanahalli in Bangalore rural. His father was a government employee. His family moved to Dodda Mavalli in Bangalore. He grew up in a Muslim colony which had about 500 Muslim families. His father admitted him to a Kannada medium school, with the objective of easing the path for him to secure a government job. Most of the children in the neighbourhood studied Urdu.

He was inspired by writers G. P. Rajarathnam and M. V. Seetharamiah who were his teachers at high school.

He was a post-graduate in Geology who worked as an Assistant Geologist in The Mysore Mines and Geology at Gulbarga before coming in touch with Kuvempu and was invited to the Kannada poets' meet during Dasara festival in 1959.[5]

He worked as a lecturer in Geology in Central College, Bangalore and then in Chitradurga. Later, he taught in the Sahyadri First Grade College in Shimoga for two terms during 1967–72 and 1975–78.

Nissar Ahmed belongs to the group of Kannada writers who excelled in Kannada literary work even though their mother tongues were not Kannada. These included D. R. Bendre, D. V. Gundappa, G. P. Rajarathnam, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, N. Kasturi and also Nissar Ahmed.

He is best known for Nityotsava (ನಿತ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ).[5] The Nityotsava compilation was released in the year 1978. The Nityotsava song went on to become very famous and he eventually became a household name in Karnataka. A total of 13 albums have been published. He was the chairperson of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy between 1984 and 1987.

Poetry

• Nanna Nudi (My words)[6] - His first poem.
• Nityotsava (Daily celebration, 1968)[7]
• Manasu Gandhibazaru (Gandhibazaar in the mind)
• Swayam Seveya Giligalu (Parrots of Voluntarism)
• Anaamika Aanglaru (Anonymous Englishmen)
• Sanje Aidara Male (The rain at five in the evening)
• Naanemba Parakeeya (Me, the stranger)
• Nimmodaniddoo nimmantagade (To be with you, yet not be like you; 1960)[8] - Expression of his angst about the unhealthy competition amongst Kannada poets in the 1960s. He bemoans religious and caste discrimination that prevailed.[7]
• Kurigalu saar kurigalu (Sheep sir, Sheep; 1963)[7]
• Raman Sathha Suddi (The demise of Raman, 1970)[8]
• Anaataru (Orphans, 1972)[9]
• Savatiya Makkala Hage (Like Step-Children, 1982)[9] - An appeal to Mother India to not treat Muslims like stepchildren and ask to forgive “the misguided ones.”
• Shilube Yeriddaane - (He has Ascended the Cross, 1982)[8]
• Nenedavara Manadalli
• Kannadada Kuvari[8]
• America, America - The poet calls out America for its superiority complex and critiques its role in impacting other nations in order to maintain such superiority.[7]
• Manadondige Mathukathe
• Benne Kadda Namma Krishna (Our Butter stealing Krishna) - Poem in praise of the Lord Krishna.
• Rangoli Mathhu Maga (Rangoli and my son)[8]
• Amma Matthu Burkha (My mother and The Burkha)
• Amma, Achara Mattu Naanu (Mother, Orthodoxy and I)[8]
• Raman Matthu Naanu (C.V. Raman and I)
• Yella Maretiruvaga (When everything has been forgotten)

Poetry collections

• Manasu Gandhi Bazaaru (The heart is Gandhi Bazaar, 1960).[6]
• Sanje Aidara Male (The rain at five in the evening, 1970).[6]
• Naanemba Parakeeya (Me, the stranger, 1972).[6]
• Seemateetana Sirivanta Suggi (2017) - The last work of the poet, a select collection of his poems, was released by the former Chief Minister of Karnataka Veerappa Moily in the year 2017.[10]

Translations

• Selected Works of Shakespeare - (Merchant of Venice, King Lear and A Midsummer Night’s Dream).[7]
• Poems of Pablo Neruda

• Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry (1982): Anaamika Aanglaru

• Rajyotsava Award (1981)[2]

• Nadoja Award (2003)[11]
• Padma Shri (2008)[12]

• Kempegowda Award

• Pampa Award (2017)[13]

Nissar Ahmed was the chairperson of 73rd Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana (All India Kannada Literary Symposium) held at Shivamogga in 2007.[7] The 407th edition of Mysuru Dasara was inaugurated by him in 2017 atop Chamundi Hills.[14]

He was conferred honorary doctorates by Kuvempu University,[15] Bangalore University and Karnatak University in recognition of his work.

Nissar Ahmed was married to Shahnawaz Begum. Nissar and his wife narrowly escaped a terrorist blast in Jaipur.[16] The couple had two sons and daughters.

Nissar Ahmed died on Sunday, 3 May in Bengaluru at his residence. He was aged 84 and died due to age related ailments.[16] He was heartbroken as he had lost his wife the previous year and most recently his son in the US to cancer. His end came only 18 days after the demise of his son. He died at his residence in Padmanabhanagar peacefully.

• Kannada literature
• Kannada poetry
• Vellala Sathyam
• Venugopal Sorab