Poornachandra Tejaswi

Kuppali Puttappa Poornachandra Tejaswi (Kannada: ಕುಪ್ಪಳಿ ಪುಟ್ಟಪ್ಪ ಪೂರ್ಣಚಂದ್ರ ತೇಜಸ್ವಿ) (8 September 1938 – 5 April 2007) was a prominent Kannada writer, novelist, photographer, ornithologist, publisher, painter and environmentalist who made a great impression in the "Navya" period of Kannada literature and inaugurated the bandaya ("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 8 September 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 boy. After completion of his education from Maharaja College of Mysore, one among the top colleges in India, due to his interests in nature and farming, he moved to Mudigere taluk of Chikmagalur District after buying a coffee estate. Apart from literature he was actively involved in painting, photography and philosophy.