Siddalingaiah (poet)

Siddalingaiah (1954 in Magadi, Bangalore – 11 June 2021), was an Indian poet, playwright, and Dalit activist, writing in the Kannada language. He is credited with starting the Dalit-Bandaya movement in Kannada and with starting the genre of Dalit writing. He is one of the founders of the Dalita Sangharsh Samiti along with B. Krishnappa.

In 1988, at the age of 34, he became a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, serving till 2001 and, in 2006, chairman of the Kannada Development Authority, a post with Cabinet rank that he held until 2008.

He has been head of the Department of Kannada at Bangalore University and a member of the University Syndicate of Kannada University, Hampi. He is acknowledged as a symbol of the Dalit movement and a leading public intellectual and Kannada poet.

Death
Siddalingaiah died on 11 June 2021, in Bangalore, due to a COVID-19 illness.

Poetry

 * Holemadigara Haadu (Songs of the Holeya and Madiga, 1975)


 * Saaviraaru Nadigalu (Thousands of Rivers, 1979)


 * Kappu Kaadina Haadu (The Song of the Black Forest, 1982)


 * Aayda Kavithegalu (Selected Poems, 1997)


 * Meravanige (Procession, 2000)


 * Nanna Janagalu mattu Itara Kavitegalu (My People and Other Poems, 2005)


 * Kudiva Neeliya Kadalu (2017)


 * Ooru Saagaravagi (2018)

Autobiography

 * Ooru Keri-1 : Atmakathana (1997)


 * Ooru Keri-2 : Atmakathana (2006)


 * Ooru Keri-3 : Atmakathana (2014)


 * Ooru Keri - An Autobiography (Sahitya Akademi, 2003)


 * A Word With You, World : The Autobiography of a Poet (Navayana, 2013) Translated by S.R. Ramakrishna ISBN 978-81-89059-55-2 (Excerpt)


 * Satyanarayana, K & Tharu, Susie (2013) From those Stubs Steel Nibs are Sprouting: New Dalit Writing from South Asia, Dossier 2: Kannada and Telugu, New Delhi: HarperCollins India. ISBN 978-0-14-341426-1

Plays

 * Panchama


 * Nelasama


 * Ekalavya

Criticism and essays

 * Hakkkinota
 * Gramadevathegalu
 * Avataragalu
 * Jana Samsakruthi
 * Aa Mukha Ee Mukha

Accolades

 * 2019 - Pampa Award, highest literary award in Kannada, presented by Karnataka Government
 * 2018 - Nrupatunga Award by BBMP
 * 2015 - Chaired the 81st Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Shravanabelagola
 * 2007 - Nadoja Award by Hampi University
 * 1998-99 -Karnataka State Film Award for Best Lyricist for his song "Hasivininda Satthoru" from the movie Pratibhatane
 * 1986 - Rajyotsava Award by Karnataka Government
 * 2022 - Padma Shri Award (Posthumous) for Literature and Education by Government of India