H. S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar

File:H. S. K. with D. R. Bendre.jpg at a function in Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Bangalore (1950s)]]

H. S. K. was born to a Tamil brahmin family in the village of Haleyuru near the picturesque tourist locale of Chunchanakatte in K. R. Nagar taluk of Mysore district, India. His parents were Srinivasa Iyengar and Alamelamma. Srinivasa Iyengar was a school teacher by profession. H. S. K. had his initial schooling in Siddapura school at Kempegowda Koppal (village) before moving to Dalavayi and Banumaiah High Schools at Mysore. During these years, H. S. K. began the "Kannada Sangha" (local Kannada literary assoc.) at K. R. Nagar. For a brief period, H. S. K. made a living distributing newspapers in and around his village. He worked as a reporter for then-popular Kannada periodicals "Tayinadu" (Kan: ತಾಯಿನಾಡು) and "The Hindu". H. S. K. completed his Intermediate qualification at Mysore and moved to Central College, Bangalore (then under the University of Mysore) in 1940 for his L. Com (Commerce degree) qualification. During the next three years of his L. Com studies at the Central College, H. S. K. scored good marks and thus secured free boarding at the Ramakrishna Student Home (as a scholarship). In this period, he came into contact with stalwarts of Kannada literary movement like B. M. Srikantaiah, G. P. Rajarathnam and D. V. Gundappa. He stood first in the "Kannada Sahitya Parishat's" exam and won the "Kannada Jana" prize which he personally received from B. M. Srikantaiah.{{Cite book|title=ಡಾ ।। ಎಚ್. ಎಸ್. ಕೆ - ಬದುಕು ಬರಹ|last=Kumar|first=G. K. Ravindra|publisher=Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan|year=2005|location=Bengaluru, INDIA|pages=5, 6, 7, 8}}

File:H. S. K. with V. Seetharamaiah.jpg at Banumaiah College, Mysore (1950s)]]

He completed his Bachelor's degree in Economics & Commerce studies in 1948 and joined National High School, Bangalore as a teacher. After a few years at National High School, he moved to 'Ranganatha Institute of Commerce', Bangalore as a member of the faculty. Around this time, Banumaiah College, Mysore invited H. S. K. to join its faculty in the department of Economics & Commerce. While at Banumaiah College, he completed his Master's degree in Economics from Benaras Hindu University in 1951. With a Master's degree, Krishnaswamy Iyengar was able to get promoted to the posts of Associate Professor, Professor and eventually ended up as Principal of the college.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2009/dec/19/memoirs-of-a-veteran-photojournalist-114404.html|title=Memoirs of a veteran photojournalist|website=The New Indian Express|date=15 May 2012 |access-date=2020-01-16}} He retired from the institution in 1969. At the behest of Prof D. Javaregowda, H. M. Nayak and then Vice Chancellor Srimali, H. S. K. was invited to grace the post of Editor of Humanities Division of the "Kannada Encyclopedia Project" at University of Mysore.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ciil-ebooks.net/html/skill/app1.htm|title=Appendix 1|website=www.ciil-ebooks.net|access-date=2020-01-16}} For ten years between 1970 and 1980, H. S. K. was additionally the Editor-in-Chief of "Manavika Karnataka" magazine from the University's press.{{Cite web|url=https://kannada.bharatavani.in/jkauthor/h-s-krishnaswamy-iyengar/|title=Bharatavani Resource|last=Krishnaswamy Iyengar|first=H. S.|date=12 Jan 2020|website=Ministry of Human Resource Development Website - Govt. of India|access-date=12 Jan 2020}} During his tenure at the University of Mysore for eleven years, Krishnaswamy Iyengar also engaged classes for students in the Diploma and Post Graduate studies departments where he delivered lectures on "Indian Cultural Studies". He retired from the University of Mysore in 1980.

File:H. S. K. in his library.jpg H. S. K.'s writings span six decades. He wrote mainly in Kannada, but also authored a few works in English. While majority of his writing is essentially biographical in nature, he also experimented with poetry, novels, short stories, economic treatises and socio-political caricatures.

His earliest foray into writing columns for newspapers was in the form of articles which he submitted for ‘Deshabandhu’, ‘Vishwa Karnataka’ and ‘Chaya’ newspapers. He wrote also for the Kannada Sahitya Parishat's "Kannada Nudi" newspaper. He also wrote columns for "Prajavani", "Taranga", "Star of Mysore"{{Cite web|url=http://m.dailyhunt.in/news/bangladesh/english/star+of+mysore-epaper-smysore/birth+centenary+of+late+hsk+on+aug+26-newsid-132376274|title=Birth Centenary of late HSK on Aug. 26 - Star of Mysore|website=Dailyhunt|language=en|access-date=2020-01-16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.daijiworld.com/printArticles.aspx?sectionID=17543§ionName=news|title=K. B. Ganapathy awarded Veeranna Gowda Honour|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=2006|website=www.daijiworld.com|access-date=16 Jan 2020}} and "Mysooru Mithra" newspapers as well.

H. S. K. authored 1167 character sketches on numerous personalities at home and abroad. These appeared under the banner of "Varada Vyakthi" (Kan: ವಾರದ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿ - "Person of the Week") columns in the popular "Sudha" Kannada magazine. These character sketches were collected into four volumes (as omnibus editions) under the titles: "Belaku Chellida Baduku",{{Cite book|title=Belaku cellida baduku: 'Sudhā' vārapatrikeyalli prakaṭavāda vyakti citragaḷa sankalana|last=Kr̥ṣṇasvāmi Aiyaṅgār|first=H. S|date=1998|publisher=Taḷukina Veṅkaṇṇayya Smāraka Granthamāle|location=Maisūru|language=kn|oclc=499891690}} "Manyaru Samanyaru", "Gaganachukki Barachukki" and "Minchu Gonchalu". These volumes contained in them biographical sketches on personalities in India as well as abroad like S. Srikanta Sastri (Indian historian),{{Cite web|url=https://www.srikanta-sastri.org/h-s-k-on-s-srikanta-sastri/4585525535|title=H. S. K. on S. Srikanta Sastri - Dr S. Srikanta Sastri {{!}} Official Website|website=www.srikanta-sastri.org|access-date=2020-01-16}} Kuvempu (Kannada poet laureate), D. R. Bendre (Kannada poet), T. R. Subba Rao (Kannada writer), Nelson Mandela (Anti-apartheid activist), John McEnroe (Tennis player), Amartya Sen (Indian economist and Nobel laureate), Ramanujacharya (11th century Hindu theologian), Jayaprakash Narayan (Indian statesman) and Indira Gandhi (former Indian Prime Minister) to name a few. In the years following Emergency in India, H. S. K. authored a separate biography on Jayprakash Narayan{{Cite book|title=Jayaprakash Narayan|last=Ecceske|date=1977|publisher=IBH Prakashana|location=Bangalore|oclc=5240795}}{{Cite book|url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000755619|title=Jayaprakash Narayan|last=Ecceske|date=1977|publisher=IBH Prakashana|location=Bangalore}} in 1977. His collection of biographies on the leading Kannada litterateurs of the 1960s came out under the title of "Ettarada Vyaktigaḷu" {{Cite book|title=Ettarada vyaktigaḷu|last=Ecceske|date=1966|publisher=Suruci Prakāśana|location=Maisūru|oclc=30538352}}{{Cite web|url=https://vufind.carli.illinois.edu/all/vf-ctu/Record/4884262|title=Illinois University Library Record of "Ettarada Vyaktigalu" by H. S. K.|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=2006|website=Illinois University Library|access-date=16 Jan 2020}} in 1966. His biographical piece on noted Indian Economist V. K. R. V. was published in 1967 by Geetha Book House, Mysore.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fMP98B-g77MC|title=Prophesar Vi. Ke. Ār. Vi. Rāv: jīvana mattu sādhane|last=Ecceske|date=1967|publisher=Gīta Buk Haus|location=Maisūru|oclc=298050682}} His next biographical work was on the Indian Film Director, Producer and Cinematographer B. R. Panthalu and this was published in 1979.{{Cite book|title=Bi. Ār. Pantulu.|last=Ecceske|date=1979|publisher=Rāṣṭrōtthāna Sāhitya|location=Beṅgaḷūru|oclc=610176908}} H. S. K. authored what is often considered to be a definitive biography of Dr B. R. Ambedkar in 1977.{{Cite book|title=Ḍā Bi. Ār. Aṃbēḍkar.|last=Ecceske|date=1977|publisher=Ai Bi Ec Prakāśana|location=Beṅgaḷūru|oclc=610176851}} Interestingly, H. S. K.'s biographical sketches were seldom limited to those in the socio-political arena and often extended beyond those confines. He wrote a well researched biography of the 10th century Indian theologian and philosopher Ramanujacharya in 1963.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T6IRAQAAIAAJ|title=Śrī Rāmānuja: jīvana, darśana, parampare|last=Ecceske|date=1963|publisher=Sādhana Sāhitya Mandira|location=Maisūru|oclc=622857565}}

His collections of essays came out under four different titles - "Jedana Bale",{{Cite book|title=Jēḍana bale.|last=Ecceske|date=1962|language=kn|oclc=20156464}} "Modada Maye", "Chandrakanthi"{{Cite book|title=Candrakānti|last=Krishnaswamy Iyengar|first=Haleyur Srinivasaiyengar|date=1980|publisher=Mitra Prakāśana|location=Maisūru|language=kn|oclc=313112908}} (Collection of lectures delivered on All India Radio - Akashvani) and "Gaddala" (on the hustle and bustle of city life). His collection of 12 short essays came out in 1980 under the title of "Surahonne: Hanneraḍu alita Prabandhagaḷu".{{Cite book|title=Surahonne: hanneraḍu alita prabandhagaḷu|last=Kṛṣṇasvāmi Aiyaṅgār|first=H. S|date=1980|publisher=Mitra Prakāśana|location=Maisūru|oclc=499907820}} He teamed up with Kannada writer and poet - K. S. Nissar Ahmed and Kannada writer A. R. Mitra to bring out an anthology of Kannada essays from 1974 till 1983 titled "Daśavārṣika Prabandhagaḷu".{{Cite book|title=Daśavārṣika prabandhagaḷu, 1974-83|last1=Nisar Ahamed|first1=K. S|last2=Ecceske|last3=En. Ke|last4=Mitra|first4=A. Rā|last5=Karnāṭaka Sāhitya Akāḍemi|date=1986|publisher=Karnāṭaka Sāhitya Akādemi|location=Beṅgaḷūru|language=kn|oclc=18865670}} His collection of articles on the literature of the Haridāsas - a sect in Vaishnavism was published by Maṅgaḷa Bhāratī Prakāśana as "Dāsa Sāhitya Darśana" in 1984.{{Cite book|title=Dāsa sāhitya darśana|last=Ecceske|date=1984|publisher=Maṅgaḷa Bhāratī Prakāśana|location=Maisūru|language=kn|oclc=13003058}} His next collection of essays "Mēghalahari: Prabandha Saṅkalana" was published in 1989.{{Cite book|title=Mēghalahari: prabandha saṅkalana|last=Ecceske|date=1989|publisher=Narēś aṇḍ Kampani|location=Beṅgaḷūru|language=kn|oclc=25508752}}

H. S. K.'s first novel "Mukti Marga" captured the challenges faced by a young idealist who returns to his native village with hopes of developing it. His next novel "Bayakeya Belè" dealt with the challenges and aspirations of a princely state (like Mysore) emerging out in the post-independence years. His third and last novel was "Kurukshetra". His collection of short stories includes"Aa Chitra" & "Muppina Sangathi".

H. S. K. tried his hand at Kannada poetry and brought out collections of poems under titles - "Davanada Kone"{{Cite book|title=Davanada kone: kavana saṅkalana|last=Ecceske|date=1989|publisher=Sāhitya Pallava|location=Maisūru|language=kn|oclc=20894940}} (1989) and "Tingalurina Teru" (2001).

An Economist by education, H. S. K. wrote extensively on contemporary economic plans of the day, namely the Five Year Plans of the Government of India. His take on these plans came out as "Namma Abhivr̥ddhi Yojanegaḷu" (1960){{Cite book|title=Namma abhivr̥ddhi yojanegaḷu.|last=Ecceske|date=1960|publisher=Gītā Buk Haus|location=Maisūru|oclc=782138973}} and "Kēndradalli Janatā Mantrimaṇḍala" (1977).{{Cite book|title=Kēndradalli janatā mantrimaṇḍala.|last=Ecceske|date=1977|publisher=Ai Bi Ec Prakāśana|location=Beṅgaḷūru|oclc=610183775}} His 1971 work "Vanijyashastra Parichaya" was an introduction to the world of economics, which H. S. K. penned specifically for students of economics in the University.{{Cite book|url=http://bublib-koha.informindia.co.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=1791&query_desc=pb:Kannada%20Adyayana%20Samsthe%20and%20location:1|title=Vanijyashastra Parichaya|last=Iyengar|first=Krishnaswamy H. S.|date=1971|publisher=Kannada Adyayana Samsthe|location=Mysore}}

File:Portrait Photograph of H. S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar (1970).jpg

H. S. K. almost always wrote in Kannada language and advocated its use even in administrative circles. This perspective was propounded firmly in his works "Vyavaharika Kannada" (2004){{Cite web|url=http://bublib-koha.informindia.co.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=81691&query_desc=au%3A%22Iyengar%2C%20Krishnaswamy%20H%20S%22|title=Vyavharika Kannada|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=2004|website=Bangalore University Website|access-date=16 Jan 2020}} and "Adalitha Kannada" (1991).{{Cite book|url=http://bublib-koha.informindia.co.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=36092&query_desc=au:%22Iyengar,%20Krishnaswamy%20H%20S%22|title=Adalitha Kannada|last=Iyengar|first=Krishnaswamy H. s|date=1991|publisher=Chethana Book House|location=Mysore}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.unishivaji.ac.in/syllabus/arts&fineart/BA/B.A.Kannada/B.A.%20I-II-III%20(Kannada).pdf|title=Syllabus of Shivaji University - Kolhapur|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=2005|website=Shivaji University - Kolhapur|access-date=16 Jan 2020}}

• "Banking Nighantu"
• "Banking Prapancha"{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.in/newspapers_details/ref_id-39348/language-kannada/periodicity-half%20yearly/district-bengaluru%20urban/state-karnataka|title=BANKING PRAPANCHA|website=www.newspapers.in|access-date=2020-01-16}}
• "Dasa-Sahitya Darshana"{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/DasaSahityaDarshana|title=Dasa Sahitya Darshana|last=H S Krishna Swamy Iyengar}}
• "Gandhiji: Ondu Punardarshana"
• "Avalokana : a compendium on Karnataka's heritage"{{Cite book|title=Avalokana: a compendium on Karnataka's heritage|last1=Ecceske|last2=Karnataka (India)|last3=Directorate of Kannada and Culture|last4=Viśva Kannaḍa Sammēḷana|date=1985|publisher=Directorate of Kannada and Culture|location=Bangalore|language=en|oclc=25676458}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_lZBGwAACAAJ|title=Avalokana: A Compendium on Karnataka's Heritage|date=1985|publisher=Directorate of Kannada and Culture|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=http://uasbagrilibindia.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=24643&query_desc=su:%7BHistory%20of%20karnataka%7D|title=Avalokana: A compendium on Karnataka heritage|last=World Kannada Conference|date=1985|publisher=Department of Kannada and Culture|location=Bangalore}}{{Cite book|title=Indian Institute for Human Settlements Library Catalogue|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|publisher=Indian Institute for Human Settlements|year=2014|location=New Delhi|pages=4}}
• “Akashavani"
• "Banuli Baravanige" - Collection of Radio Lectures by H. S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar{{Cite web|url=https://www.janapadauniversity.ac.in/English/Semester%20IV|title=Semester 4 {{!}} Karnataka Folklore University|website=www.janapadauniversity.ac.in|access-date=2020-01-16}}

• "Movers and Shakers of Mysore" [Two Volumes]
• “Kuvempu”
• “Bendre”
• "Shivarama Karanth"
• “Masti”

File:H. S. K. receiving Karnataka Patrika Akademi Prashasthi.jpg

Six decades of writing, over a thousand biographies and character sketches,{{Cite web|url=https://bpradeepnair.blogspot.com/2004/11/bangalore-as-union-territory.html|title=Time and Tide: Bangalore as Union Territory|date=2004-11-30|website=Time and Tide|access-date=2020-01-16}} essays, anthology of poems, novels and short stories and small treatises on economics and commerce related matters made H. S. K. a household name in Kannada literary and journalistic circles. These are a few of the awards which came his way.

• Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award (1981)
• Karnataka Patrika Akademi Award (1996){{Cite web|url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/34945255/chapter-xiii-culture-government-of-karnataka/25|title=chapter-xiii-culture-government-of-karnataka|last=Yumpu.com|website=yumpu.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-16}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.gazetteer.kar.nic.in/gazetteer/hand%20book/Chapter-13_477-458.pdf|title=Karnataka Gazetteer|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=2000|work=Government of Karnataka State Gazetteer|access-date=16 Jan 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714050113/http://www.gazetteer.kar.nic.in/gazetteer/hand%20book/Chapter-13_477-458.pdf|archive-date=2015-07-14}}
• Rajyotsava Award (1997)
• Viswamanava Award (1999)
• H. K. Veeranna Gowda Award (1996)
• Ha Ma Na Award (1999)
• Rotary Model Award (2000)
• Ankanashri Award (2000)
• Felicitation Volumes: "Ayda Barahagalu"{{Cite web|url=https://www.inmysore.com/books-published-by-ksou-released-in-city|title=Books published by KSOU released in city|website=www.inmysore.com|access-date=2020-01-16}}{{Cite web|url=http://111.93.136.232:8084/vufind/Record/33408|title=Echeske Avara Ayda Barahagalu|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=2010|website=Christ University Library Website, Bengaluru|access-date=16 Jan 2020}} (60th birthday) & "Samadarśi" (75th birthday)
• Honorary Doctorate - D. Litt from University of Mysore (2004)

H. S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar continued to write in his retirement years. He was a columnist for dailies such as "Star of Mysore", "Mysuru Mithra" and "Taranga" in the latter years. H. S. K. died at the age of 88 years on 29 August 2008 at Mysore after suffering a brief period of illness.{{Cite news|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2008/08/30/noted-columnist-krishnaswamy-iyengar-passes-away-1220072570.html|title=Oneindia.com|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=August 2008|access-date=16 Jan 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://churumuri.blog/2008/08/30/the-google-before-the-real-google-came-along/|title=Churmuri Blog|last=Iyengar|first=H. S. Krishnaswamy|date=Aug 2008|access-date=16 Jan 2020}}

{{reflist|group=References}}

• [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/6266690 East - West Center Library (July 1965) - "Select list of recent publications"; Publishers: Honolulu, East-West Center Library, pp. 15.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/165648005 Amaresh Dutta (1988) - "Encyclopaedia of Indian literature / 2 Devraj to Jyoti"; Publishers: New Delhi : Sahitya Academy, pp. 1221.]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=msnBDwAAQBAJ&dq=H.+S.+Krishnaswamy+Iyengar&pg=PT107 S. V. Upendra Charya (2019) - "People You Love to Know About: Of people, famous and forgotten": Publishers: NotionPress.com, ebook.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1037480278 K C Dutt; Sahitya Akademi (1999) - "Who's who of Indian writers, 1999"; Publishers: New Delhi : Sahitya Akademi]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/152538920 Henry Scholberg (1987) - "South Asia biographical dictionary"; Publishers: Zug, Switzerland : IDC.]
• [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2452228 Library of Congress, New Delhi (1979) - "Accessions List, India"; Publishers: New Delhi, Library of Congress Office.]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=sTYKAQAAIAAJ&q=H.+S.+Krishnaswamy+Iyengar Praful Nandashanker Dave; Debi Prasanna Pattanayak (1974) - "Improving language skills in the mother tongue, a developmental-cum-experimental bridge course project for college entrants studying through the medium of mother-tongue, Kannada: Report"; Publishers: Mysore : Central Institute of Indian Languages; pp. 86]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=7yQLAQAAIAAJ&q=H.+S.+Krishnaswamy+Iyengar Karnataka (INDIA) (1965) - "Karnataka State gazetteer: Mysore"; Publishers: Bangalore : Printed by the Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Govt. Press; pp. VII]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=T3iLAwAAQBAJ&dq=H.+S.+Krishnaswamy+Iyengar&pg=PA55 Dr. C. N. Ramachandran (2011) - "KANNADA: AKYANA-VYAKYANA"; Publishers: Sapna Book House; pp. 55]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=7yQLAQAAIAAJ&q=Echcheske Karnataka (INDIA) (1966) - "Karnataka State gazetteer: Mysore"; Publishers: Bangalore : Printed by the Director of Print, Stationery and Publications at the Govt. Press; pp. 691]
• [https://books.google.com/books?id=0U2QRpDv2KMC&dq=Echcheske&pg=PA826 Gaṅgā Rām Garg (1992) - "Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World, Volume 3"; Publishers: New Delhi : Concept Pub. Co.; pp. 827]

• [https://www.srikanta-sastri.org/hskrishnaswamyiyengar Official Webpage]

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Category:Scholars from Karnataka

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