Masthi Venkatesha Iyengar

Masthi Venkatesha Iyengar
© Kamat's Potpourri
Born	6 June 1891(1891-06-06) Hongenahalli, Malur taluk, Kolar district, Karnataka
Died	6 June 1986 (aged 95) Mysore
Pen name	Srinivasa, Maasti
Occupation	District Commissioner, Professor, Writer
Nationality	India
Genres	Fiction
Literary movement	Navodaya
Influences M.K. Gandhi

Masthi Venkatesha Iyengar (Kannada:ಮಾಸ್ತಿ ವೆಂಕಟೇಶ ಐಯಂಗಾರ್) (June 6, 1891 - June 6, 1986) was a popular writer in Kannada language. He was the fourth person among seven recipients^[1] of Jnanpith Award for Kannada the highest literary honour conferred in India. He was popularly referred to as Maasti Kannadada Aasti which means Maasti is Kannada's Treasure. He is most renowned for his short stories. He wrote under the pen name Srinivasa. He was honored with the title Rajasevasakta by then Maharaja of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar.

Early life and education

Masti was born in 1891, at Hongenahalli in Kolar district of Karnataka in a Tamil speaking Sri Vaishnavaite family.He spent his early childhood in Masthi village. Due to poverty, he moved from place to place until he obtained a master's degree in English literature (Arts) in 1914 from Madras University. After joining the Indian Civil Service (Known as the Mysore Civil Service in the days of the Maharaja of Mysore), he held various positions of responsibility in different parts of Karnataka, rising to the rank of District Commissioner. He retired in 1943.

Works

His Kelavu Sanna Kathegalu (Some Short Stories) was the first noted work in the modern Kannada literature. Maasti also crafted a number poems on various philosophic, aesthetic and social themes. He composed and translated several important plays. Finally, he edited the monthly journal Jeevana (Life) from 1944 to 1965.

A prolific writer, he wrote more than 120 books in Kannada and 17 in English, for over seventy years. He won the Jnanpith Award in 1983 for his novel Chikkaveera Rajendra. The story was about the last Kodava (The Warrior kings of Coorg district of Mysore State) king. Kodava community was displeased with the negative portrayal of their last king.

He died in 1986 at the age of 95.

Bibliography

Epics

• Shri Rama Pattabisheka (Coronation of Shri Ram)

Novels

• Chikkaveera Rajendra Historical Novel about the last king of Kodagu
• Channabasava Nayaka Historical Novel about the last king among Nayakas of Shimoga District.
• Subbana

Stories and Anthologies

• Kelavu Sanna Kathegalu (Some Short Stories)
• Dombara Chenni
• Kaagegalu (Crows)
• Rangana Maduve (Ranga's Marriage)

Plays

• Kakanakote
• Kalidasa
• Yashodhara

Autobiography

• Bhaava

Other

• Subbann (1928)
• Sheshamma (1976)
• Shanta (1923)
• Talikoti (1929)
• Yashodhara(1933)
• Kannadad Seve(1930)
• Arun (1924)
• Tavare(1930)
• Sankranti (1969)

Notes