Girish Karnad

Girish Karnad Biography

Girish Karnad is Jnanpeet Award winner of year 1998 - the highest literary honour conferred in India. He is better known as a contemporary writer who has given significant contributions to Kannada as well as Indian literature. He also writes plays and anchors a few television programs as well. He is better known for the program Turning Point telecasted in Doordarshan before two decades or so. He has also worked in a few movies as an actor. He marked the beginning of Modern era of Indian playwriting in Kannada and in the past four decades, he has written numerous plays in Kannada, most related to history, social as well as mythological subjects. He has even translated his works to English. He has served as director of Film and Television Institute of India for two years (1974–1975) and has become the chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of the Performing Arts for a long period of about 6 years (1988–93).

Girish Karnad was born in Matheran, Maharashtra on 19 May 1938. But he did his initial schooling in Sirsi Karnataka, and later his contributions were mostly done in Kannada language. His parents were interested in theatre and he was exposed to travelling theatre groups, Natak Mandalis in his younger age. He was fascinated towards art form of Karnataka, Yakshagana too.

He did his BA degree in Mathematics and Statistics, from Karnataka Arts College in the year 1958. He went abroad to learn Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He earned Master of Arts degree in all these three subjects too. He worked in Oxford University Press, Chennai for seven years from 1963. But he resigned his job in 1970 and gave full concentration to his writings. He got involved with a local amateur theatre group, The Madras Players during his work in press. During 1987-88, he was a visiting professor at University of Chicago and Fulbright Playwright-in-Residence.

As a screen writer, Kannada movie, Samskara (1970) was his debut movie. He has acted in movies of greatest film makers of all time – Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal. His role as Swami's father in Doordarshan TV series Malgudi Days is also popular. He has worked for a few Hindi movies like Manthan, Swami, Iqbaal, Dor, Aashayein, 8*10 Tasveer, Pukar and Nishant. His other awards include – Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Kalidas Samman, Rajyotsava Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Kannada Sahitya Academy award. he has also won National film awards for best film and best direction as well.     

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Updated: May 29, 2018