On the occasion of Kannada poet D R Bendre’s death anniversary, let’s look at five facts about the litterateur.
1. Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre was his full name, and he became popular as Da Ra Bendre. He was born on January 31, 1896 and died at the age of 85 on October 26, 1981.
2. He has many titles, including ‘Varakavi’, meaning ‘gifted poet’, ‘Kavikula Tilaka’ – a jewel among poets – and Kavya Garudiga, a sorcerer-poet. His works, which were in Dharwad Kannada (North Kannada), brought about a renaissance in Kannada literature.
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3. He had a deep interest in Quantum Physics, Mathematics and Human Physiology.
4. He was married at the age of 23 to a girl, Lakshmibai, who was ten years his junior. They had nine children and lived for 47 years together until Lakshmibai passed away in 1966.
5. Bendre was conferred with the Padma Shri in 1968, the Sahitya Akademi award in 1969 and the Jnanapitha prashasthi, which is the highest literary award in the country, in 1973, for Naaku Tanti (Four Strings), his poetry collection from 1964.
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Politicians, actors and several other netizens went on social media on Wednesday to pour in messages of love, respect and remembrance.
“On the death anniversary of Varakavi Shri D. Ra. Bendre, who proclaimed the glory of Kannadigas as ‘The world will be born from Karnataka’, we pay our respects. Bendre, who has cultivated prolific literature for nearly 8 decades, has enriched Kannada literature with his intuitive, heart-touching poetic power,” Dr Sudhakar K, Karnataka’s health minister tweeted.
“Tributes to Kannada Saraswat world legend, Padma Shri, Jnanpith awardee Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendrey on his martyrdom. Let us proudly remember Dr. Bendre’s literary cultivation and his intellectual consciousness, which enriched the richness of Kannada literature and poetic world,” Congress MP D K Suresh wrote.
