Noted Kannada poet K.S. Nisar Ahmed, 84, also popular as "Nityotsava Kavi", passed away at his residence on Sunday. He was suffering from age-related ailments.
A geology professor by profession, he was a prolific poet and writer who dabbled in various literary forms - criticism, children's literature, translations of several Shakespeare plays into Kannada.
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Though his style was influenced by Navya movement, he also broke away from it in later years. His poems were the first to be set to tune by Mysuru Anantaswamy and released as an audio cassette "Nityotsava" in 1970s. The cassette became so popular it birthed an audio cassette industry of light music - Kannada poems set to tune, earning him the title "Nityotsava Kavi", after his iconic poem by the same name, that describes the beauty of Karnataka.
Born in Devanahalli, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, he is also one of the first poets to write about Bengaluru in Kannada poetry. "Manasu Gandhibazaru", "Sanje Aidara Male" are some of the collections of poems, with several pieces on the urban experience in the city.
He was often seen in three piece suits or safaris, even in his last days at all public events. He was also a strong votary of the Kannada cause and spoke passionately about it.
He has been awarded the highest literary award of the State Pampa Award (2017), Rajyotsava award (1981) and Padma Sri (2008). He chaired the annual Sahitya Sammelana held in Shivamogga in 2007 and inaugurated Dasara in 2017.
