Bio
K Chinnappa Gowda (born 1955) was formerly a Professor of Kannada, Mangalore University. He did his post graduate studies in Kannada at Madras University and earned his PhD in Tulu folklore from Mangalore University. He served as the Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka Folklore University, Haveri; Registrar of Mangalore University; Director of SDM Tulu Chair; and Director of Mangalore University’s Prasaranga Publication Centre, Student Welfare Office, and Yakshagana Study Centre.
K Chinnappa Gowda has published twenty books in Kannada and English, more than fifty research papers, and participated in national and international seminars. Among his more important books are “Bhutharadhane: Janapadiya Adhyayana”, “Samskrithi Siri”, “Karavali Kathanagalu”, “Siri Sandhi as told by Gopala Naika – Collection and Introduction”, “Kithhale Hannalla” (collection of Kannada poems), “Kelepu Perade Kelepu” (collection of Tulu poems), “Beliyolagina Bele” (collection of Kannada essays), and “Mask and the Message”, (collection of research papers on Tulu folklore). He was one of the editors of the “Siri Epic as Performed by Gopala Naik” (2 vols.), a publication of the Finnish India Siri Epic documentation project.
He and Prof. B Surendra Rao have translated eight important works from Tulu into English. To mention a few: “Ladle in a Golden Bowl” (modern Tulu poems), “Rain Boy” (Tulu folktales),
“Heartbeats” (Tulu short stories), “When Moonlight Is Very Hot” (Tulu work songs and dance songs), and Dr. DK Chowta’s Tulu novel “Mittabail Yamunakka”. He has visited Tubingen University, Germany (as a DAAD Fellow), Turku University, Finland (as a Postdoctoral Fellow), Wuersburg University, Germany (as a Visiting Professor for ICCR), and Waseda University, Japan (as a Japan Foundation Fellow).
K Chinnappa Gowda is a recipient of prestigious awards, such as the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy Annual Award, Karnataka Janapada Academy Ji. Sham. Paramashivaiah Annual Folklore Award, Sandesh Award, Dr. Kota Shivarama Karanth Award, Ku Shi Haridas Bhat Folklore Award, and the Polali Sheenappa Hegde and SR Hegde Memorial Award, among others.