Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre

Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre Biography

Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre, shortly known as D. R. Bendre was a famous Kannada poet of the Navodaya Period. He wrote under the pen-name - Ambikatanayadatta. He was the second person from Kannada literature to win Jnanpith Award. He won it in 1974 for the collection of poems Naaku Tanti. He also held the title ‘Karnataka kula Thilaka’ conferred by Udupi Adamaru Math. He has also received Padma Shri – 1968, Sahitya Academy award – 1958, Kelkar prize – 1965 and Sahitya Academy fellowship – 1968. Girish Karnad made a Kannada documentary film, D. R. Bendre based on his life.

Bendre was born on 31 January 1896 in Dharwad, Karnataka. Both his father and grandfather were Sanskrit scholars. He lost his father and a young age and he completed his primary and high school education in Dharwad with the help of his uncle. He joined the Fergusson College, Pune for higher studies. After completing degree, he started his career as a teacher at Victoria high school of his hometown. Very soon he got married and years later, he obtained his Master of Arts degree in the year 1935. He became a Kannada professor in D.A.V. College, Solapur between 1944 and 1956. In 1956 he became advisor of AIR, Dharwad.

His literary works were started in simple romantic words. But later his words went deeper into social and philosophical matters. A few of his poetry collections include – Krishnakumari, Matte Shravana Bantu , Krishnakumari mattu Haadu Paadu, Chaityalaya, Hridayasamudra, Naku Tanti, Yaksha Yakshi, Jeevalahari, Kuniyonu Baa, Ta Lekkaniki Ta Dauti, Pratibimbagalu, Olave Namma Badaku, Vinaya and many more. His playwrights are Tirukara Pidugu, Uddhara, Hosa Samsara mattu Itara Ekankagalu, Ambikatanayadatta Nataka Samputa and Hucchatagalu.

His critic works include - Sahitya mattu Vimarshe, Kavi Lakshmishana Jaimini Bharatakke Munnudi, Kannada Sahityadalli Nalku Nayakaratnagalu, Sahityada Viratsvaroopa and Kumara vyasa. A few of his critic works include - Sahitya mattu Vimarshe, Kavi Lakshmishana Jaimini Bharatakke Munnudi and Kannada Sahityadalli Nalku Nayakaratnagalu. Apart from these works he has translated a few works and edited a few too. 

Published: N/A

Updated: November 20, 2013