BENGALURU: Known as ‘Nityotsava’ poet, Prof KS Nissar Ahmed (84) passed away at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday, a few days after his son passed away in the US. The renowned poet was suffering from a prolonged illness.
A non-controversial poet, he rose above religion and won the hearts of Kannadigas. A unique voice in Kannada poetry, alongside poems in free verse, he also wrote immensely popular songs. His Nityotsava, the unofficial anthem, is known to every child in Karnataka. His poetry had shades of satire, philosophy, humour, but with a strong message. And it reached the common man. Nissar Ahmed’s Kurigalu Saar Kurigalu (‘Sheep, Sir, Sheep’) is a take on the political system, of the herd mentality of the people and how they are taken advantage of.
Nissar Ahmed was first Muslim to inaugurate Dasara
Nissar Ahmed had beautifully compared sheep (kuri) to the voter and politician to a shepherd, which is relevant even today although it was written in the 1960s. Though a Professor of Geology, he had made a mark in various fields like poetry, children’s literature and translations. The academic had also led the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in 2007.
In 2017, he made history by becoming the first Muslim to inaugurate the Dasara cultural festival in Mysuru, deeming it the “greatest moment of his life” as well as reiterating the importance of communal harmony. The veteran writer had then said smilingly that the occasion had given him a chance to stitch two new suits for the Navarathri festivities. The poet was known for his trademark suits. Litterateur Na D’Souza recalled, “I once asked him why he always wore a suit. Nissar replied with humour that he was very thin and that he would not like to scare people with his frail body.” Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa described Nissar’s death as an “irreparable loss” to the State and Kannada literary world. “May his soul rest in peace and may God give the strength to his bereaved family to bear this loss,’’ he said in his condolence message.
The CM ordered a state funeral for Nissar Ahmed, and said he had a special bonding with the poet from his Shivamogga days and it was a personal loss to him. The last rites will be held at 12 pm on Monday at the Khuddus Saheb burial ground in J C Nagar. Jnanpith awardee Chandrashekhara Kambara recalled his association with the poet. “I had known him for over 50 years. His sensibility in his works was something that made him unique. He was a good translator and the best poet,’’ he said. Nissar Ahmed’s other works included the equally popular ‘’Benne Kadda Namma Krishna’’, which describes Little Krishna stealing butter and his escapades. His knowledge of Mahabharata and Ramayana was unparalleled, even as he remained a devout Muslim.
Born at Kokkarehosahalli near Devanahalli, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, he was also one of the first poets to write about Bengaluru. His Manasu Gandhi Bazaar captures the then mood and atmosphere of the area. He once said that as a child, he played in Lalbagh and that it was a source of inspiration for him. Lalbagh and Gandhi Bazar are the two parts of my lungs, he had said. He was decorated with many awards including the Padma Shri, Kendra Sahitya Akademi award, Karnataka Sahitya Academy award, the Rajyotsava award and Nadoja award.
Former CM Siddaramiah said: “Nissar never bent to any side, neither left nor right, and the same can be seen in his works. His demise is a loss to Kannada literature.’’Nissar Ahmed’s wife Shanaz Begaum passed away last year. He is survived by another son and two daughters. (With inputs from K Shiva Kumar in Mysuru and Marx Tejaswi in Shivamogga)