Google Doodle celebrates first Kannada Jnanpith Award winner Novelist Kuvempu's 113th Birthday

New Delhi: Google Doodle celebrates the 113th birthday of Kannada novelist and poet, Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa, better known as Kuvempu. Widely regarded as the greatest Kannada poet, Kuvempu was also a playwright, critic and thinker. Among Kannada writers, he was the first win the prestigious Jnanpith Award. He was also conferred the Padma Vibushan award by the Government of India in 1988.

Born in Koppa Taluk of the Chikmagalur District, Karnataka, he was home-schooled early in his childhood. Later, to continue his middle school education, He joined the Anglo-Vernacular school in Tirthahalli. Kuvempu graduated from the Maharaja College of Mysore in 1929, majoring in Kannada.

Kuvempu started his literary career with a collection of poetry called Beginner's Muse, but later switched to his native language Kannada. He was a strong advocate for making Kannada the medium of education in the state, and in spearheaded the movement.  Kuvempu's version of the Ramayana, Sri Ramayana Darshanam was what won him the Jnanpith Award.

Google featured Kuvempu's poem, Poovu or "the flower" in its doodle, which rhapsodises "on the beauty of the poet's natural surroundings". The poet made a place for himself in modern Indian literature, with his writings and contribution to "Universal Humanism" or as he called it "Vishwa maanavataa Vaada". Among his other notable contributions is Karnataka's state Anthem, Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate.

Today's Google Doodle was created by illustrator Upamanyu Bhattacharyya along with Swati Shelar, who helped with the Kannada lettering.