Dinakara Desai

Dinakara Desai was a poet, writer, educationist, and political activist. He was famous for his poetry form called chutuka (also known as Chutuka Brahma). Chutuka or chutuku is a quadraplet poem. This format was later adopted by other poets. He made major contributions towards the literary development of the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.

Biography

Early life

His grand parents were basically from Hondadahakkalu – Antarvalli (near Mirjan, Kumta taluka, Uttara Kannada district) and, were Konkani speaking people. Dinakar was the third child of Dattatray Desai (father) and Ambika (mother). He was born at Ankola (Uttara Kannada District) on 10 September 1909. He had two elder brothers – Yeshwant and Shankar; and, one younger sister – Saraswati. His mother died when Dinakar was 9 years old.

Education

Dinakar spent his early childhood at Alageri, a tiny village near Ankola where his father was working as Government Primary School Teacher. He had his primary education for four years in the same school where his father was working. Dinakar continued education at Edward High School (subsequently renamed as Jai Hind High School), Ankola. He completed Higher Secondary education by passing Matriculation at Government High School, Karwar (Headquarters of Uttara Kannada District). He joined Intermediate course in Bengaluru and continued degree course in Mysuru, completing B.A. in 1931 in First class. He won Candy Award. He moved to Mumbai to pursue Post Graducation course. He joined there at St. Xavier's College, where he completed M.A. in First class in 1933 by presenting a thesis - “Mahamandaleshwaras under the Chalukyas of Kalyani”. He had the guidance of famous History Professor Father Heras while preparing thesis. He won St. Xavier Silver Medal. While preparing for thesis for M.A. he was also attending Law college in Mumbai. He completed LLB in 1934.

Later, Desai decided to focus on his native district of Uttara Kannada, where he began an "agitation against the landlords", which finally culminated in the law granting the land ownership to the person who tills the land. He later created the Kanara Welfare Trust in 1953. Under the aegis of this trust, various schools and colleges were founded in this district. He also started a Kannada language weekly Jansevaka in Ankola to create social and political awareness. One regular contributor was Gourish Kaikini.

Dinakar Desai founded Kanara Welfare Trust (KWT) in the year 1953 with headquarters at Ankola, with the objective of spreading education to the rural children by establishing educational institutions in Uttara Kannada District. The places chosen had no such facility for higher education previously. Initially High Schools were founded and the Pre-degree and Degree colleges followed at later stages. Besides educational institutions, the Trust (KWT) took care of the weaker section of the society by establishing Social Service Institutions like Tailoring Centres. The educational institutions were established by raising contributions from the philanthropists with whom Dinakar Desai had good contact. People's Multipurpose High School, Ankola established in the year 1953 was the first among the High Schools. Gokhale Centenary College, Ankola established in the year 1966 was the first among the Degree Colleges. The Trust (KWT) also subsequently established Divekar College of Commerce, Karwar in 1970 in the year 1970. The Trust (KWT) has at present 4 Degree Colleges, 6 Pre-Degree Colleges, 16 High Schools, 10 Primary and Pre-Primary Schools, and, 6 Other Social Service Institutions in the district.

5 Politics: The first issue was published on 26 January 1955. The paper was received well by the public. Ammembal Anand was the editor; leading literary figures in the District like Gourish Kaikini were contributing regularly. Dinakar Desai was playing active and leading role in writing critical assessment of the current affairs. The paper had also literary value. Most attractive and important item was a short poem of four lines (ಚುಟಕ) written by Dinakar Desai under the caption ಭತ್ತದ ತೆನೆ (bhattada tene). As mentioned earlier, the paper had no commercial interests and the Trust had run huge loss. The management of the paper thus took painful decision of discontinuing the paper, with the publication of the last issue on 2 August 1972. The paper was in circulation for more than seventeen years (18th year - 31 edition- 915 issues).

Personal achievements

1. Awards and honours:

Awards:

Bombay State Award in 1956 for poetical works ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಗೀತ; ಕವನ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ Karnataka Sahitya Academi Award in 1972 in recognition of his contribution in literary field. “Varakavi” (ವರಕವಿ) felicitation in 1973 by Bombay Kannadigas. Karnatak University, Dharwad conferred Honorary Doctorate (D. Litt) in 1975 in recognition of his educational and social service. Government of Karnata awarded plaque with State map in recognition of service rendered in State unification. B N Gupta Janmabhumi Award for journalism in 1976 Karnataka Sahitya Academi Award in 1980 for ದಿನಕರನ ಚೌಪದಿ (consolidated publication of his short poems - ಚುಟಕ)

Tours abroad:

Dinakar Desai toured Denmark to attend the convention of the International Labour Organization held at Copenhagen, Denmark in November 1945. At this period he also toured in England and had study on labour, education etc. there. He narrated his experiences on these tours in a travelogue ನಾ ಕಂಡ ಪಡುವಣ.

Dinakar Desai toured USA as one of the members of the Indian delegation to convention of the International Labour Organization held at Seattle, USA in 1946.

Dinakar Desai toured England in 1959 at the invitation of the British Council and paid visit to the educational institutions there.

2. Publications: *

particulars of the publishers indicated in brackets

I. Poems:

1. ರೈತರ ಹಾಡುಗಳು (1949) (ಉತ್ತರ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲಾ ರೈತಕೂಟ)

2. ಕವನ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ (1950) (ಶೇ. ಗೋ. ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ, ಸಾಧನ ಮುದ್ರಣಾಲಯ, ಧಾರವಾಡ)

3. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಗೀತಗಳು (1951) (ಶೇ. ಗೋ. ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ, ಸಾಧನ ಮುದ್ರಣಾಲಯ, ಧಾರವಾಡ)

4. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಪದ್ಯಗಳು (1956) (ಜನತಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶನ, ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ)

5. ಹೂಗೊಂಚಲು (1958) (ಜನತಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶನ, ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ)

6. ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಪದ್ಯ (1976) (ಜನತಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶನ, ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ)

7. ದಿನಕರನ ಚೌಪದಿ (1978) (ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ)

8. ದಿನಕರಾಲಿ ಕವನಾಂ (ಕೊಂಕಣಿ) (1981) (ಸರ್ವಂಟ್ಸ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಸೊಸೈಟಿ, ಮುಂಬಯಿ)

9. ದಾಸಾಳ (1983) (ಕೆನರಾ ವೆಲ್ ಫೆರ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್, ಅಂಕೋಲಾ)

II. Books:

1. ಪ್ರಪಂಚದ ಕೆಲಸಗಾರ (1936) (ಸರ್ವಂಟ್ಸ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಸೊಸೈಟಿ, ಮುಂಬಯಿ)

2. Primary Education in India (1938) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)

3. Maritime Labour in India (1940) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)

4. The Mahamandaleshwaras under the Chalukyas of Kalyani (1951) (Indian Historical Research Institute, Mumbai)

5. ನಾ ಕಂಡ ಪಡುವಣ (1961) (ಮನೋಹರ ಗ್ರಂಥಮಾಲೆ, ಧಾರವಾಡ)

III. Reports:

1. Report towards Literate Bombay (1939) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)

2. Land Rents in North Kanara (1940) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)

3. Report of the Bijapur Famine Relief Committee - 1943 (1944) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)

4. Report on Police Firing at Amalnar (1946) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)

5. Among Indian Seamen in Great Britain (1946) (Servants of India Society, Mumbai)