VIJAYAWADA: Noted academician, research scholar, poet, writer and novelist Prof Sriramappagari Gangappa (86) passed away due to age-related illness. He rendered distinguished services as a Telugu lecturer, professor and head of the Telugu Department of Nagarjuna University and mentored many students as well as many research students.
Gangappa was born on November 8, 1936, to Venkatappa and Krishnamma couple in Nalla Gondrayanipalli, Penugonda Taluka in the erstwhile Anantapur district. He worked as a Telugu lecturer in Anantapur, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, and Kurnool and was appointed as head of the department of Telugu at Acharya Nagarjuna University in 1978.
Dramatic literature was his passion and he pursued his research on Kolachalam Srinivasa Rao’s dramas.
His research works were Kshetraya Pada Sahityam, Sarangapani Pada Sahityam, and Telugu Pada Kavitha. He wrote Tirina Bhayam’ (story collection), Navadayam, and Rendu Gulabilu( poetry collections).
Prof Gangappa also wrote Atmarpana (Novel) several plays such as Dipavali, Desam Bagupadalante, Pada Kavita Pitamahudu and some works in children’s literature. He received Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Academy award, Telugu University Award, and Andhra Pradesh State Hamsa Award.