G. Venkatasubbiah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ganjam Venkatasubbiah
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| Born | 23 August 1913 Ganjam, Srirangapatna |
| Died | 19 April 2021 (aged 107) Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Occupation | Writer, researcher, teacher |
| Period | 20th century |
| Subject | Lexicography, Kannada Grammar, Editorship |
| Notable awards | Padma Shri Sahitya Akademi Award Pampa Award |
| Spouse | Lakshmi |
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| G. Venkatasubbiah | |
Ganjam Venkatasubbiah (born August 23, 1913 – died April 19, 2021), often called G. V., was a famous Kannada writer, language expert, and dictionary maker. He created more than eight dictionaries and wrote many important books about how dictionaries are made in Kannada. He also edited over sixty books and wrote many articles.
G. V. received important awards like the Kannada Sahitya Akademi Award and the Pampa Award. His work greatly helped the world of Kannada dictionaries. One of his special books, Igo Kannada, is a dictionary that explains many Kannada phrases, sayings, and idioms. It's useful for anyone studying language and society.
He is best known for his book Kannada Nighantu Shastra Parichaya, which is about the science of making Kannada dictionaries. This book came out exactly 100 years after the first Kannada-English dictionary was written by a German priest named Ferdinand Kittel in 1894. G. V.'s work continued a long tradition of dictionary writing in Kannada, which has been going on for at least a thousand years.
Contents
Early Life and School
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Ganjam Venkatasubbiah was born on August 23, 1913. His father, Ganjam Thimmanniah, was a well-known expert in Kannada and Sanskrit languages. His father helped G. V. develop a love for old Kannada literature.
G. V. went to primary school in different towns like Bannur and Madhugiri in Karnataka, India. He was the second of eight children. His family moved often because of his father's government job.
In the early 1930s, G. V.'s family moved to Mysore. He joined Yuvaraja College for his intermediate course, where he was inspired by the famous writer K. V. Puttappa (also known as Kuvempu). Later, he went to Maharaja College in Mysore to study for his Bachelor of Arts degree. He studied subjects like Ancient History, Sanskrit, and old Kannada.
At college, he learned from many great teachers. He completed his Master of Arts degree between 1936 and 1938 and even won a University Gold Medal for his excellent work.
A Life in Teaching
G. V. started his career teaching English at high schools in Mandya and Bangalore. Later, he joined Vijaya College in Bangalore to teach Kannada. During these years, he encouraged his friend Ramachandra Sharma to publish his Kannada poems in a book called Hrudayageethe.
At Vijaya College, G. V. is remembered for starting a student magazine called Utsaha. He worked at the college as a Lecturer, Professor, and eventually became the Principal before he retired. He was also very active in university councils and teacher associations.
Amazing Contributions to Literature
G. V. created more than 10 dictionaries, including a large eight-volume Kannada-Kannada dictionary. This dictionary was even turned into Braille for visually impaired people.
For over ten years, he wrote a regular column called Igo Kannada in the Kannada newspaper Prajavani. The articles from this column were later collected into four books. This collection is like a social dictionary, filled with many Kannada phrases, ways of speaking, and idioms.
He also wrote a special dictionary called Klishtapada Kosha, which explains complex Kannada words. This book was released to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Karnataka's formation. It was the first dictionary of its kind in Kannada, covering how words are formed, their punctuation, sounds, and patterns as the language changed over time.
G. V. is especially known for his book Kannada Nighantu Shastra Parichaya, which is about the science of making Kannada dictionaries. This book came out exactly 100 years after the first Kannada dictionary was written by the German priest Ferdinand Kittel in 1894.
From 1964 to 1969, he was the youngest president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (Kannada Literary Centre). As president, he helped the society get more money from the government. He was also the main editor for the 'Kannada - Kannada Dictionary' project.
He was involved in many important projects, including the Kannada Encyclopaedia Project and literary festivals. He also edited the monthly magazine Kannada Nudi. He served as the vice-president of the Lexicographical Association of India for 17 years.
In 1998, he became an advisor for a dictionary project that included Japanese, Kannada, English, and Tamil. He also advised on a Telugu dictionary project. He was the first president of the Kannada Literary Festival in Bidar District in 1974. In 2011, he was honored to be the president of the 77th All India Kannada Literary Meet in Bangalore.
Books for Children
G. V. also wrote books specifically for young readers. Some of his children's books include:
- Robinson Crusoe (1967)
- Kavi Janna (1972)
- Chavundaraya (1975)
- Chinnara Chitra Ramayana (2011)
Later Life and Awards
Many special books have been published to celebrate G. V.'s amazing work in Kannada literature and dictionary making. He also received many awards.
On his 60th birthday, a book called Sahityajeevi was given to him. When he turned 90, another book called Shabdasagara was released. In 2011, he received Vidvajeevita, a collection of articles written by other writers. To celebrate his 100th birthday, a book called Shatanamana was presented to him at a big event in Bangalore.
At 102 years old, G. V. was the special guest at the launch of Srikanthayana in 2016. This book was a collection of writings by his teacher, S. Srikanta Sastri, about History, Indology, and Archaeology.
Awards Received
G. V. received many honors and awards throughout his life, including:
- Vidyalankara
- Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award
- Rajyotsava Award
- Karnataka Sahitya Academy Honorary Award
- Pampa Award
- Padmashri – 2017 (a high civilian award from the Indian government)
- Nadoja Award (an honorary doctorate from Hampi University)
- Honorary Doctorate from Rani Chennamma University
- And many more awards for his contributions to language and literature.
Death
Professor G. Venkatasubbiah passed away on April 19, 2021, in Bangalore. He was 107 years old.
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See also
In Spanish: G. Venkatasubbiah para niños
