Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy

Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy (22 September 1954) is an Indian Kannada language poet, hailing from Mudnakudu village in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, India. He received Kendra Sahitya Academy award in 2022, for his work "Bahutvada Bhaaratha mattu Bouddha Thaatvikate".

Life
He has two post graduate degrees viz., M.Com., and M.A.(Kan), with a D.Lit. in Social Sciences. He was a Finance Executive by profession and retired as Director (Finance) & Financial Advisor from Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation in March 2014. Poetry is his passion but he has worked in other genres of literature as well, besides having a wide range of interests in culture, social work and theatre. He has brought out over 40 books, which include eight collections of poetry, seven of essays, three plays and two collections of short stories.

Works
His contribution to Kannada literature are listed below.

Poetry

 * Kondigalu mattu Mullubeligalu – 1989
 * Godhooli – 1993
 * Nanondu Maravagiddare – 1998
 * Chappali Mattu Nanu – 2001
 * Kanakambari – 2004
 * Matte Male Baruva Munna – 2000
 * Chandirana Kannu Hingalarada Hunnu – 2005 (Selected Poems)
 * Buddha Beladingalu – 2010

Plays

 * Kendamandala – 1990
 * Mooru Beedi Natakagalu – 2004
 * Bahuroopi (Poetry drama) – 2003
 * Mudnakudu Natakagalu – 2010

Essays

 * Nondavara Novu – 2002
 * Maathu Manthana – 2004
 * Ondu koda halina samara – 2008
 * Aparimitada Kattale – 2010
 * Chinnudi – 2015

Short stories

 * Mohada Deepa – 1999
 * Papa prajne – 2015

Monograph

 * Bhima Boyi – 1994
 * Belakina Saradararu – 2015

Letters

 * Ole Okkane – 2005

Translations

 * Yuva Bouddharigondu Darshana – 2002
 * Deegha Nikaya – 2012 (Revision for Mahabodhi Society, Bengaluru)
 * Dalita Darshana – 2014

Edited

 * Dalita Kathegalu – 1996 (for Karnataka Sahitya Academy)
 * Kavya Bangara – 2005
 * Poems of Dasara Poets' meet – 2004
 * Marali Manege – 2006 (A souvenir on the event of Buddhanedege… a dalit march for equality commemorating 50th year of Ambedkar's conversion)
 * Kavya 2005 – 2008 (for Karnataka Sahitya Academi)

Translated into other languages

 * Angar Ki Choti Per – 2001 (Translated into Hindi by Prof. Dharanendra Kurakuri)
 * Poemas: Mudnakudu Chinnaswamy – 2005 (Translated into Spanish by Prof. Rowena Hill)
 * Zakhm Kasak Awaz – 2012 (Translated into Urdu by Nooruddin Noor)
 * Before It Rains Again – (Translated by Rowena Hill)
 * Asmita Ki Khoj – 2010(Translation of "Ondu koda halina samara’ a collection of essays into Hindi by Bhalachandra Jayshetty)

About the author

 * Bayala Belaku – 2008 (Edit: Appagere Somashekara)
 * Beyuva Bege – 2012 (A research work on Dr. Mudnakudu by Dr. Mallappa Chalavadi)

Awards and honours

 * Kendra Sahitya Academy award in 2022, for his work "Bahutvada Bhaaratha mattu Bouddha Thaatvikate".
 * Karnataka State Sahitya Academy award - 2009
 * ''The Outlook” weekly magazine in its special issue of April 26, 2021[Ambedkar Anniversary Special] adjudged him as one among "50 Dalits, Remaking India"