S. R. Ekkundi

Who was S. R. Ekkundi?

Subbanna R. Ekkundi was a recipient of Sahitya Akademi award, Nation award for teacher and Soviet Land award.

Ekkundi was born in Ranebennur of Haveri district in the year 1923. At Willingdon college, Sangli, he was a student of literature. At Willingdon, V. K. Gokak and R. S. Mugali were Ekkundi's professors. Ekkundi and Gangadhar V. Chittal from Hanehalli were classmates at Willingdon. After graduating B.A. Literature in the year 1944, Subbanna Ekkundi joined the Anandashram High School, Bankikodla as a teacher and retired as a Head Master of that institute in 1977. Ekkundi was married to Indira Ekkundi from Haveri.

In 1992, Ekkundi was given the Sahitya Akademi award for his outstanding poetical work Bakulada Hoovugalu in Kannada. His poem Ladhak Irali Nepa Irali written during the Second Indo-China war was well received. His political sympathies were with the Communist party. After his retirement, he was given a national award for teaching. He was the author of many works of poetry and short stories. His work is described by an entry in the Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature Besides politics, his poetry deals primarily with traditional Indian mythological and religious themes. His Ubhaya Bharati, concerns the famous debate between the Hindu philosophers Adi Shankara and Mandana Mishra.