Bengaluru: Jnanpith Award winner and recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, GirishKarnadpassed away in Bengaluru on Monday.
He was one of the most noted playwrights in India.Karnadwas conferred Padma Shri in 1974 and in 1992, the Indian government awarded Karnad the Padma Bhushan, in recognition of his contributions to the arts.
He was also the recipient of the Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary prize, in 1999 for his contributions to literature and theatre.Karnad has written numerous plays in Kannada and is considered one of Kannada literature’s foremost playwrights.
His most famous include Yayati in 1961, Hayavadana in 1972 and Nagamandala in 1988. Tughlaq, a play he wrote in 1964, made Karnad a name to reckon with among playwrights in the country. The thirteen-scene play is set during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq. He also hosted a weekly science program on the Doordarshan titled ‘Turning Point’, featuring Indian scientist Yash Pal, the award-winning show explained complex, modern scientific discoveries in simple language.
Outside of his work on stage and on screen, he was an active voice against violence against writers and journalists in India.
