In 1996, noted writer and publisher, S V Sreenivasa Rao, was given the Aryabhatta award, in recognition of his contribution to Kannada literature. Thereafter he was awarded the ‘Kannada Sri' from the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (2000) and ‘Karnataka Sri' from Karnataka Rajya Prashasti (2005). Rao has also won Attimabbe and Ranne Sahitya Prashasti for Mahitikosha, his encyclopedia on Kannada writers.

Sreenivasa and Anusuya Rao (pic: Sudha Narasimhachar)

Winning awards is a habit for 76-year-old Rao. His drawing room has no more space, given the awards that he's won; starting from school days, through college life, until today. Strangely enough, this stalwart of the Kannada literary scene was a scientist, who served in the defence establishment, CQAL, for 34 years. But Rao showed his love for language early on. Though a science graduate and completing AMIE, he also did MA in Kannada, Hindi Rashtrabhasha Visharadh and took a diploma in Russian.

A lover of Kannada literature and a creative writer from his school days, Rao's very first short story won the first prize in a school contest. After that there was no stopping the creative streak or his talent for writing. Over the years, Rao tried his hand at every genre. Short stories, travelogues, features, science fiction, historical novels, children's books, translations (Bengali and Oriya), biographies (Veerappa Moily and Sri Guru Nanak), compiling and editing...Rao has done it all, with a whopping number of 87 books published so far.

His historical novel, Prouda Pratapa Veera Rajendra, about a Coorgi emperor, was adjudged one of the best books written during the decade 1980-90. Besides this, Rao's stories have appeared in publications like Vishwa Karnataka, Kathegarara Kathanjali, Karmaveera, Sudha, Taranga and Mayura. "I am proud to say that all my 24 novels have been serialized in leading magazines. This includes three novels for children, serialized in Bala Mangala - a children's magazine. I think this is a record of sorts," says Rao.

What inspires him to write? "Anything that I observe around me. For example, I wrote the maximum during my stint in the busy city of Bombay because I got to witness so many things during my train journey to and from office. A train accident in Matunga inspired me to write the short story ‘Raktha Karanji', which was published in the weekly, Sudha. There is a lot to write, if only we look around us with our inner eye," comments Rao.

Despite this inherent creativity, Rao feels that his greatest contribution to the Kannada literary world is Kannada Sahithi Darshana. The first edition, which contains a brief biography of 1,500 Kannada writers, authors and poets, was released by the great poet Kuvempu in 1989. The second edition contains details of 3,000 Kannada literary figures, along with particulars of the various organisations working for Kannada literature, the awards instituted and the list of awardees. "It is almost an encyclopaedia and will serve as a good reference book. I have put my heart and soul into compiling this book," says Rao proudly. Published in 2007 by the writer's own publishing house, Sowrabha, the book was released in December 2008 by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa.

Sudha Narasimhachar is an ex-banker and freelance writer.

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