The literati of North Karnataka has been rejoicing from the moment of hearing the selection of writer Chandrashekhar Kambar for the prestigious Jnanpith award. Manohar Grantha Mala (MGM), a premier publishing house in Dharwad, has special reasons to celebrate the occasion.
It has the distinction of publishing the works of six of the eight Jnanapith awardees from Karnataka. Editor of MGM Ramakant Joshi recollected how MGM has encouraged writers to grow in stature by publishing their works in the initial phase of their career.
MGM, which made a modest beginning in 1933 has published the works of Kuvempu, Da Ra Bendre, Shivaram Karant, V K Gokak, U R Ananth Murthy, Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhar Kambar much before they were conferred the prestigious Jnanpith award.
Kuvempu’s poem ‘Prayojana’ finds a place in the comprehensive volume Nadedu Banda Daari (1958) while Bendre’s collection of poems Sakhi Geeta (1937), Gari (1945), Gangavatarana (1951), Balabodhe (1983), Sahitya Samshodhana (1940), play Hosa Sansara (1950), Nirabharana Sundari (1940), Kavyodyoga, Chaturmukha (1962) and Sahitya Mattu Vimarshe (1976) have been published by MGM.
Shivaram Karant who is from coastal Karnataka had a close association with MGM and five of his works — Sarasammana Samadhi (1937), Marali Mannige (1941), Bettada Jeeva (1942), Bittida Bele (1946), Keechaka Sairandhri (1958) — have been published by MGM.
Masti Venkatesh Iyengar who bagged the Jnanpith in 1984 had got his Kannada play ‘Tirupani’ published by MGM way back in 1937 while V K Gokak’s comprehensive volume ‘Ijjodu’ (1935-36), travelogue ‘Samudrada Acheyinda’(1934-35), play Jana Nayaka (1935), Yugantara (1946), ‘Vimarshaka Vaidya’(1947), collection poems of ‘Payana’ (1937), ‘Samagra Geetegalu’ (1940) and ‘Baala Deguladalli’(1953) are MGM publications.
The latter half of the 20th century saw MGM introduce new set of writers to the literary world. Prominent among them are U R Ananthamurty, Girish Karnad and Kambar. While all the works of Karnad are published by MGM, U R Ananthamurthy’s Prashne Mattu Itara Kathegalu (1965) and Samskara (1967) saw the light of the day through MGM. Chandrashekhar Kambar’s thesis Uttara Karnatakada Janapada Rangabhoomi (1965), famous Sangya Balya (1967), Rishyashrunga (1969) and Haddina Kannu (2007) are MGM publications.
