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D. R. Bendre

D. R. Bendre

दत्तात्रेय रामचंद्र बेन्द्रे

Literature & writing Karnataka Great mind of history

Dattātreya Rāmachandra Bēndre, popularly known as Da Rā Bēndre, is generally considered the greatest Kannada lyric poet of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the history of Kannada literature. A pioneering poet of Kannada's Navōdaya movement and a leading figure in the linguistic renaissance of Kannada in the region of North Karnataka, Bendre forged a new path in Kannada literature and modern Kannada poetry through his original use of desi Kannada, particularly Dharwad Kannada – the form of Kannada spoken in the North Karnataka region of Dharwad.

BORN

31 January 1896

DIED

21 October 1981

HONOUR

Padma Shri in literature and education

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Key facts

Born
31 January 1896, Q10765683
Died
21 October 1981, Mumbai
State of birth
Q10765683, Karnataka
Sector
Literature & writing
Profession
Kannada poet (1896–1981)
Gender
Male

Biography

Dattātreya Rāmachandra Bēndre, popularly known as Da Rā Bēndre, is generally considered the greatest Kannada lyric poet of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the history of Kannada literature. A pioneering poet of Kannada's Navōdaya movement and a leading figure in the linguistic renaissance of Kannada in the region of North Karnataka, Bendre forged a new path in Kannada literature and modern Kannada poetry through his original use of desi Kannada, particularly Dharwad Kannada – the form of Kannada spoken in the North Karnataka region of Dharwad. The richness, originality, and euphony of his poetry, his preternatural feel for the Kannada language, and his charismatic personality would result in him being hailed as a Varakavi by the Kannada people. In a poetic journey that spanned almost 70 years, Bendre engaged continuously in what he called Kāvyōdyōga or 'The High Yoga of Poetry'.

Summary based on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed by the RochakDuniya editorial team.

Timeline

  1. 1896Born in Q10765683
  2. 1958Awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award
  3. 1974Awarded the Jnanpith Award
  4. 1981Dies in Mumbai
Sources & licences Last checked against Wikidata: 27 Sep 2026
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