Sangamesh Saundattimath

Sangamesh Saundattimath (born 1 April 1943) is a well-known Kannada linguist. His other areas of books include Kannada research, critics, literature. His contribution to the Kannada literature world is undisputedly significant. He has so far published 125 books for his credit. More than 400 research articles have been published and 100 research papers have been presented at various seminars, workshops, Conferences etc. Number of his books have been prescribed as text-books for Post graduate and under graduate students of various universities across the country.

Dr.Sangamesh Saundattimath
Born	April 01, 1943 Murgod, Karnataka, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Writer, Professor, Researcher, Publisher
Spouse(s)	Shakuntala Savadattimath
Parent(s)	Shri.Dandayya and Smt.Parvati Savadattimath
Awards	Rajyotsava Prashasthi, Karnataka State Folklore Academy Award, Hermann Gundert award, Alva’s Nudisiri award and more.

Career

He has served as a professor of Kannada at Karnatak University Dharwad, Gulbarga University, for over 33 years and after retirement, he was selected as emeritus professor by U.G.C. He was holding a number of administrative positions at the time of his service such as dean of Faculty of Arts, chairman of the Institute of Kannada studies (Gulbarga University), student welfare officer (Gulbarga University), special officer (P.G. Centre, Raichur) etc. He is also currently working as a resource person in Central Institute of Indian Languages.[1]

Special achievements

Among his special achievements, participation in the first International Seminar on Ramayana and Mahabharata held at Kaulalumpur and presented a paper on Kannada Ramayanas. He was the pioneer to research study on Gulbarga and Bidar dialects and discovered two endangered Dravidian languages namely Elava and Koracha of Hyderabad-Karnataka area. He has been editing and publishing a bimonthly research periodical namely "Samshodhana Vyasanga" in Kannada since 1989. Discovered the folk poet of North Karnataka namely Durudundeesh who wrote Yakshaganas. Pioneer preparation of Descriptive Dictionary of Vachana Literature etc. are to be mentioned. Dr.Saundattimath has edited 15 volumes of subject-wise Vachanas written by 12th century Veershaiva-Lingayat Saints with scholarly prefaces.

Awards and recognition

Furthermore, he has been awarded number of awards such as Karnataka State Folklore Academy, Dr. Chidananda award, Dr.Shamba Joshi award, Dr.Seddiyapu Krishnabhat award, Dr.M.Vishveshvraiah award, Rajyostava award by Gulbarga University, Karnataka State award, and P.K.Bhagoji award for his contribution to Kannada Language and research.

All India Dravidian Linguists Association (DLA) has awarded Hermann Gundert award to Saundattimath's Varnatmaka Vachana Padakosha (A Concise Encyclopedic Dictionary of Vachana Literature). Award was conferred at the All India Dravidian Linguists Conference held recently at Thiruvananthapuram. "Vachana Padakosha" is first of its kind in Kannada, which comprises all the relevant information regarding Vachana literature.

He has been awarded number of prestigious (up till day 34) awards including Karnataka State award, Kannada Book Authority award, Kannada Sahitya Parishat Vidvat award, Karnataka State Folk Academy award, Alva’s Nudisiri award etc.

His books were honored with a procession in the palanquin, & was honored with the weighing him on a balance scale. Three commemoration  Volumes on the occasion of his sixtieth, seventieth & seventy-fifth birth year celebrations.

A gold medal is conferred every year in his name by  Gulbarga University to the Post-Graduate Kannada student scoring highest number of marks in the linguistics subject .

A PhD research dissertation on the life and works of  Dr.Saundattimath was submitted by Dr.Umadevi Bamman to Gulbarga University and was published in .

References

1. "Welcome to MIILES Web Site". Ciil-miles.net. Retrieved 1 December 2016.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/31/stories/2010103161500400.htm