K. P. Poornachandra Tejaswi

                       

ಕೆ. ಪಿ . ಪೂರ್ಣಚಂದ್ರ ತೇಜಸ್ವಿ ..September 8, 1938 – April 5, 2007

Writer, Photographer, Bird watcher, Agriculturist, Publisher and what else you can expect from a person, to call him Versatile, Dyanamic, Genius? All this and many more was KP Purna chandra Tejaswi son of `Rastra Kavi`Kuvempu.He is  prominent Kannada writer and novelist who has made a great impession in "Navya" period of Kannada literature and inaugurated the bandaya or protest literature with his short-story collection Abachoorina Post Offisu.
At early stages of his writing career, Tejaswi wrote poems but later concentrated on short stories, novels and essays. Poornachandra Tejaswi has a distinguished style of writing which has heralded a new era in Kannada literature.
 Early life
Tejaswi was born on September 8, 1938 in Kuppali in Shimoga district of Karnataka. Although he was the son of "Rashtrakavi" Kuvempu, he came out of his father's shadow and established his own image at an early age. Tejaswi received Rajyotsava Award for his first short story "Linga Banda", a look at the rainy western ghats from the eye of a young boy. After completion of his education from Maharaja college of Mysore, due to his interests in nature and farming, he moved to Mudigere taluk of Chikmagalur District after buying some coffee estates. Apart from literature he was actively involved in painting, photography and philosophy.
Literary works
Tejaswi has let his pen run in almost all forms of literature including poems, short stories, novels, Travel literature, plays and science fiction literature. Nature and incidents related to nature enjoy major role in most of his works. Carvalho is one such novel where the author himself participates in an adventure of discovering an imaginary flying lizard in the dense forests of Western ghats. Even after twenty six years of its publication (published in 1980) Karvalo stays in top 10 list of Kannada books sold every week[citation needed]. Tejaswi has translated a number of English books to Kannada enriching the depth of Kannada literature.
Further reading
•PoornaChandra Tejaswi, Annana Nenapu, although not supposed to be an autobiography, Tejaswi extensively narrates about his childhood and early life.
Awards
• Sahitya Academy award in 1987
• Kannada Sahitya Academy award in 1987
• Pampa Award in 2001
• Rajyotsava Award

Bibliography
Collections of poems
• Bruhannale Somuvina Swagatalahari mattu Itara Kavanagalu
Novels
• Pakakranthi
• Mayaloka: 1
• Chidambara Rahasya
• Carvalho
• Jugari Cross
• Millennium series (volume1 to volume16)
Photo Album
• Myeya Mukhagalu
Others
• Vyakti Vishishta Siddantha
• Vimersheya Vimershe
• Hosha Vicharagalu(...coming soon)
Biography
• Annana Nenapu
Short story collections
• Parisarada Kate
• Huliyoorina Sarahaddu
• Abachoorina Post Office
• Tabarana Kate
• Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu
• Kadina Kategalu (Volume1 to Volume4)
• Linga banda
• Panjrolliya Pischachia Savaalu
• Gudugu Heliddenu
• Urvashi
• Gandhiji Deseinda
• Swaroopa
• Nigoodha Manushyaru
• MaayaMruga
• Rahasya Vishwa
Translated Works
• Rudraprayagada Bhayanaka Narabakshaka (The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag: OUP/UK 1948 - Jim Corbett)
• The Great Escape
• Papillon 1 & 2
Travel literature
•Alemariya Andaman mattu Mahanadi Nile
Plays
• Yamala Prashne
Science and nature writings
• Missing Link
• Hakki Pukka
• kannada nadina Hakkigalu: PartI-Minchulli and PartII-Hejjemudada hadi
• Vismaya (Volume1 to Volume3)
• Flying Saucers (Volume1 to Volume2)
• Sahaja Krushi
• Nadeyuva kaddi haaruva yele
• Kadina kathegalu volume1 to volume4
• Aeroplane Chitte Mattu Itara Kathegalu
• At the end of the millennium Tejaswi has undertaken a gigantic task of bringing some of the greatest works of twentieth century, written in other world languages to Kannada. The collection of publishing were called the Millennium series. It is in volume1 to volume16
Tejaswi's works in visual media
Movies
• Abachoorina Post office
• Tabarana Kate
• Kubi mattu Iyala
• Krishnegowdara Aane
Plays
• Jugari Cross
• Chidambara Rahasya
• Krishnegowdana Aane
• Yamala Prashne
• Maayamruga
Death
Poornachandra Tejaswi died of cardiac arrest at his farm house Niruttara, Mudigere in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka state, on April 5, 2007 approximately at 2.00 p.m.[1] He was 69 at the time of death