Shimoga , district proud to be associated with many distinguished personalities. The most popular among them is a Poet/ Writer Kuppalli Venkatappa Puttappa, popularly known as Kuvempu. Kuvempu was born on December 29, 1904 in Hirekodige and brought up in Kuppali Village in Shimoga district. Later on he shifted to Mysore and completed his education in Mysore. He completed his M.A degree in Kannada in 1929. After completing his education he joined Maharaja's College as a kannada lecturer . In the year 1946 he became the Professor and Head of Department of Kannada . And later on headed the Mysore University as its Vice-Chancellor from 1956 to 1960. After his retirement, he continued to reside at his residence 'Udayaravi' in Vontikoppal, Mysore district. In the year 1968 , he was honoured with the highest literary award, the Jnanapeeta award for his magnum opus "Ramayana Darshanam".

Kuvempu produced over 30 major collections of poems in a period spanning 5 decaded. Kuvempu was not only known as a poet , he was a Scholor, Novelist, Biographer, Translator, Critic and Playwriter. He was also an author of children's books.

CONTRIBUTIONS

Famous Novels
"Kaanuru Subbamma Heggadathi"
"Malegalalli Madumagalu"
Famous Plays Based on his Novels

"Jalagara",
"Smashana Kurukshetra",
"Shudra Tapasvi"

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Jnanpith award (1969)
Padmabhushan award by Government of India
Padma Vibhushan award by the Government of India
State and Central Sahitya Academy awards (1955)
Poet Laureate ( Rastrakavi) by the Karnataka Government
Pampa award by the Karnataka Government. (1988)
Also recommended for the Nobel prize for literature.
Doctorate degrees from Bengaluru, Mysore, Karnataka and Gulbarga universities.
Kuvempu passed away in the year 1994.