Bio
Dr. Padmaraj Dandavati is one of the veteran journalists of Karnataka with over 40 years of experience. He served in Prajavani, a leading Kannada daily, for over 36 years and was Executive Editor of the same for the last ten years of his tenure. His column `Naalkane Aayama’, in Prajavani, which ran for nearly eight years, was very popular and was like a mirror of society.
He has written over 24 books and edited several, including that of Captain Gopinath. After retirement, he took up the translation of various important English books. His first translation, ‘Sita Ramayana: An Illustrated Retelling’ by Devdutt Pattanaik, brought him the prestigious Central Sahitya Akademi award. He has also translated the German novel ‘The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum’, by Nobel laureate Heinrich Böll, to Kannada, which throws light on the witch hunting nature of the media.
He has been awarded a D.Lit. (Doctor of Literature) from Hampi Kannada University for his thesis, Kannada Patrikodyama Moovattu Varsha (1991-2021), Kannada Journalism – Thirty Years (1991-2021). Recently he has published his memoirs of his journalism career, `…Ulidava Nenapu’ which has earned him a name not only in the journalism field but also in literary circles.
He has won many awards, including the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, the Karnataka Media Academy Award and the T.S.R. Memorial Award, some of the highest awards that can be achieved.