Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar

Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar (June 6, 1891 - June 6, 1986) was a popular writer in Kannada language. He was the fourth person among seven recipients 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 Hossahalli in Kolar district of Karnataka in a Tamil speaking Sri Vaishnavaite family. He obtained a master's degree in Arts in 1914. After joining the Indian Civil Service, he held various positions of responsibility in different parts of Karnataka, rising to the rank of District Commissioner. He retired in 1943.

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 died in 1986 at the age of 95.

He won the Jnanpith Award in 1983 for his novel Chikkaveera Rajendra. The story was about the last Kodava king. Kodava community was displeased with the negative portrayal of their last king.

Bibliography

Epics

Novels

Stories and Anthologies

Plays