Renowned poet and former MLC Akbar Ali (91) passed away in the city after battling with cancer, on Sunday. He is survived by three sons and three daughters.
Mr. Ali was admitted to a private hospital two weeks ago. He was known for his limericks (Chutuku Sahitya) in Kannada and his works included Akbar Ali Chutukugalu, Visha Sindhu, Anna, Sahitya Vivechane, Kannada Kavyadhyana and Samagra Kavya, among others.
He was a nominated member of the Legislative Council and was an MLC from 1986 to 1992. Besides, he had won many awards, including the State Sahitya Academy Award in 1967, Rasthriya Ekta Award in 1974, Rajyotsava Award in 1985, and Karnataka Muktha Sahitya Award, among others. He was also the working president of Karnataka Chutuku Sahitya Parishat for more than two decades.
Born at Ullagaddi-Khanapur village in Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi district in 1925, Mr. Ali received his primary education in Urdu and pursued his higher education in Belagavi and Pune. He began his career as a teacher in Belagavi and retired as a professor from University of Mysore, which conferred on him the honorary doctorate in 1980.
The news of his death was received with shock and grief by his well-wishers and people from the literary field. District in-charge Minister V. Srinivas Prasad condoled his death.
