Masti Venkatesh Iyengar was the fourth Kannada writer to be conferred the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour for his novel, Chikkaveera Rajendra .
Renowned for his short stories, Masti wrote under the pen name Srinivasa. Masti wrote several poems on various philosophic, aesthetic and social themes. He composed and translated several important plays. He was the editor of monthly journal Jeevana (Life) from 1944 to 1965.
He was honoured with the title Rajasevasakta by then Maharaja of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar. A prolific writer, he wrote more than 123 books in Kannada and 17 in English, for over seventy years.
After his demise in 1986, an award Masti Venkatesha Iyengar Award has been instituted in his name. The Masti Venkatesh Iyengar Prashathi Samiti and the Dr. Masti Trust, Kolar, now in its 23rd year, gives this year’s Masti awards to Prof. Sha. Shettar, Dr. B.N. Sumitra Bai, and Dr. Na. Mogasale on Saturday, June 13, at Woodlands Hotel, Bangalore, 10 a.m.
The programme will be presided by Dr. G.S. Siddalingiah, and the awards will be given away by Chiranjeevi Singh.
