Chennakeshava Iyyengar H

Chennakeshava Iyyengar H., 1889-1959

Chennakeshava Iyyengar, (ಚೆನ್ನಕೇಶವ ಅಯ್ಯಂಗಾರ್ ಎಚ್.) (cennakEshava ayyangAr, ec.) born in the town of Hiremagalur , (Karnataka) was the first person to obtain the degree of M.O.L (Master of Oriental Learning) from Karnataka. He strove hard for the propagation of ancient Kannada literature. After a couple of stints of teaching at the Teachers’ Training College, Mysore and Karnataka College, Dharwar, he moved on to the Oriental Research Institute at the University of Madras to serve as a professor of Kannada. He occupied a number of responsible positions including the secretaryship of the literary section of the Kannada Sahitya Parishath. He was closely associated with scholars such as R. Narasimhachar and M.A.Ramanuja Iyyengar. He was personally acquainted with Muddana the well known poet and possessed the original manuscript of his ‘Adbhuta Ramayana’.

Iyyengar is best known for his scholarly and detailed introduction to the Madras University edition of ‘Shabdamanidarpana’ the celebrated grammar of Kannada, edited by A.Venkata Rao and H. Sheshayyangar. This runs to 112 pages and is invaluable. In addition to this He has written a number of articles in Kannada and English on ancient Kannada literature. Some of them are enumerated here:

1. ‘Kannada Literature’, Annals of Oriental Research, 3-1

2. ‘Jainism in Kannada literature’, All India Oriental Conference, 9^th session

3. ‘Jagannatha Vijaya and its Historical Implications’, A.I.O.C. Summaries, 1941

4. ‘Chronological History in Kannada Literature’, A.I.O.C. 2^nd session,

5. ‘Historical Implications of Gadayuddha by Ranna Kavi, a Kannada poet of the 10^th century (Allegory of Rashtrakuta Indra-4)’, A.I.O.C.-16, 1951

5. ‘Kannada Sahitya’, Annals of Oriental Research 1-1, 2, 3-1 (In Kannada)

6. ‘Hannondaneya shatamanada kannada sahitya’ Kannada Sahityaparishathpatrike 14-3

Chennakeshava Iyyengar worked diligently to copy palm leaf manuscripts in to paper manuscripts. His work is significant even though it is not voluminous.

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