Sociopolitical philosopher-writer KB Siddaiah no more

The poet had suffered internal injuries in a car crash on his way to his farm a couple of weeks ago in which his young friend Vinay, at the wheels, had died.
K B Siddaiah (File Photo)
K B Siddaiah (File Photo)

TUMAKURU: Philosopher and noted writer K. B. Siddaiah breathed his last at a private hospital in Bengaluru the early hours of Friday.

He was sixty-five. He is survived by his wife Gangarajamma, a retired teacher, a son and two daughters.

The mortal remains will be placed at the town hall here before taking it for the final rites at his native place Kenkere village in Magadai taluk of Ramanagara district in the afternoon.

The poet had suffered internal injuries in a car crash on his way to his farm a couple of weeks ago in which his young friend Vinay, at the wheels, had died.

He was one of the founder members of Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi (DSS) during the eighties and co-authored many songs to inspire the movement. He was the critic of noted writer Devanuru Mahadeva as the latter allegedly did not speak out politically at an appropriate time.

He was born to Bylappa-Anturamma couple on March 2, 1954. He graduated with BA degree at the government first-grade college here and a Masters in English literature at Mysuru University. 

Later, he joined as the lecturer at Siddhartha College run by former DCM Dr G Parameshwara's educationist father H M Gangadharaiah.

In Mysuru he was in the close circles of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who visited him last in the hospital.

He used to talk freely without inhibition and even campaign against Parameshwara with courage, which ultimately played an instrumental role in his defeat in 2013; it paved an easy path for Siddaramaiah to become CM.

Such was his love for Siddaramaiah that when the latter was ousted from the JD(S) Siddaiah had organised a mega event and conferred 'DaRaiStree'-Dalita Raitha Stree-award on him to give moral support and expecting him to represent the Dalits, farmers and the women who were oppressed in the society.

Ironically, except for getting the state Rajyothsava award during 2013 for which Siddaiah deserved he was not considered for any literary academies to head, observed K N Puttalingaiah, an analyst. 

He was clear about his political stands and always was against the Congress party. During 1989 he had even campaigned in favour of the Janatha Party candidate and former minister Lakshmi Narasimhaiah, recalled Chandrashekar, a party worker.

He was keen on being called a sociopolitical philosopher with his write-ups a testimony to it, rather than being called a Dalit poet.

The works - Daklakatha Devi, Bakala, Anathma, Gallebani were the continental poetry which was difficult for the readers in general to digest, only a socio-spiritualist could.

While his songs such as 'ee naada manninalli mannadavara katheya (people of the land who suffered...) were huge hits, it was adapted in plays even by the likes of theatre legends like late C G Krishnaswamy.

He was also known to be able to deliver speeches for hours.

His books 'Kattalodane Samvaada' and 'Buddhana Nalku Sathyagalu' were well received by the audience. The writer who used to be in silence could spring into action to discuss 'Allama', Buddha, Basavanna, Bijjala with his intellectual friends' circle which included noted thinkers H S Shivaprakash, Agrahara Krishnamurthy among others.

He was a 'disciple' of Jnapith awardee Dr U R Anantamurthy and critic Ki Ram Nagaraj. "Ultimately I just could not digest him and he was an undigestable great saint", remarked Kuchchangi Prasanna, a writer who was close to him. 

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