Kotiganahalli Ramaiah
Born
Ramaiah

1954
Kotiganahalli, Kolar, Karnataka, India
Occupations
  • poet
  • activist
  • theatre activist
  • playwright

Kotiganahalli Ramaiah (born 1954) is a Dalit poet, playwright, philosopher and cultural activist from Karnataka, India.[1][2] He is one of the founders of Aadima,[3] an institution that experiments with children's theatre, film, education and caste consciousness.

He was an Aam Aadmi Party candidate for Kolar Lok Sabha constituency in the 2014 Indian general election.[4]

Early life and career

Kotiganahalli Ramaiah was born in the village of Kotiganahalli in Kolar district, Karnataka. He quit college, before completing a degree, to join the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, a political group that spearheaded the struggle against caste discrimination and fought to acquire land rights for the former untouchables castes in Karnataka.[5] He rose to be an instrumental figure in the Dalit movement where his contribution is most remembered for the numerous songs of resistance and struggles penned by him, some of which were adapted from the political climate of the left movement in Andhra Pradesh, particularly those by the revolutionary poet Gaddar. During this period Ramaiah also worked as a journalist with Lankesh Patrike, Mungaru and Suggi Sangati; and as a screenplay writer for numerous Kannada films and television serials.[5]

Founding of Aadima

Disillusioned with what he perceived as a lack of direction within the Dalit movement,[6] as well as the rapid erasure of the inclusive foundations of the modern Indian state, Ramaiah and a few others within the movement envisioned a broad-based cultural response to address the roots of social exclusion in India. They saved a rupee a day for many years towards the establishment of Aadima, an experimental space that aims to temper the overarching need for political modernity with an understanding of the history of cultural resistance and the philosophical meaning systems that evolved as a response to centuries of marginalisation. Aadima was founded in 2005, adjoining Shivagange Village on the Anthargange Hill Range. Since then, Aadima has been researching and documenting oral traditions and narratives, creating plays and films and, experimenting in educational pedagogy with numerous communities that live in the Anthargange Hill Range. Aadima also plays host to Hunimme Haadu, an event on full moon nights that features plays from across Karnataka.[2][5]

Awards

Karnataka Sahitya Akademy Award – 2012[7]
Suvarna Ranga Samman – Kannada Sangha Kanthavara – 2012[8]
Karnataka Rajyotsava Award – 2005[9]

Plays

  • Kaage Kannu Irve Bala
  • Nayi Thippa
  • Ratnapaksi
  • Kannaspatre Quenalli Jagadambe
  • Hakki Hadu
  • Vogatina Rani
  • Sum Sumke
  • Darb Bar Buddanna
  • Marjina Mattu Nalavattu Jana Kallaru
  • Kattale Rajya

Published works

  • Kaage Kannu Irve Bala (2012)[10]
  • No Alphabet in Sight: New Dalit Writing from South India, Dossier 2 – Editors – Susie Tharu and K. Satyanarayana (Forthcoming 2012)
  • Sindh Madigara Samskruti (1993)[11]

References

  1. ↑ Hasan, Anjum (13 June 2010). "Bangalore Mirror". Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 Nirmala Govindarajan, TNN 5 August 2012, 07.10AM IST (5 August 2012). "Where people come alive on full moon nights". Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ Nirmala Govindarajan, TNN 5 July 2012, 02.24AM IST (5 July 2012). "Kurosawa rocks Kolar". Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ "AAP fields child rights activist against Nandan". Times of India. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 https://archive.today/20130117155558/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/printarticle.aspx?page=comments&action=translate&sectid=36&contentid=20100613201006132147183149d31e8c&subsite=. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "DSS deviating from chosen path". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  7. ↑ Kolar, 15 July, DHNS (31 August 2012). "Sahitya Academy award presented to K Ramaiah". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 8 September 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ "Kannada Sangha Kanthavara will honour theatre artist Kotiganahalli Ramaiah with 'Suvarna Ranga Samman' at Pampa Mahakavi Sabha Bhavana in Kanthavara". The Times of India. 17 March 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  9. ↑ "Rajyotsava awards: 127 personalities honoured from various fields". Deccan Herald. 30 October 2005. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "Kage Kannu Iruve Bala : Ramaiah : NOISBN". Justbooksclc.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  11. ↑ Ramaiah, Kotiganahalli . (17 May 2003). "Details for: Sindh Madigara Sumskruthi". Christ University Library Catalog. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
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