Senior journalist, writer A Ishwarayya no more

Udupi: Senior journalist, art critic and multi faceted personality A Ishwarayya (78) passed away at his house in Udupi on Sunday Dec 30.

Mr Ishwarayya had learnt music at Kalamandira in Mangaluru and was also a good photographer and an art critic. Ishwarayya was a music lover and started the Ragadhwani organisation in Udupi, which held music concerts in houses every month under the name ‘Manemane Sangeetha’.

He started his career in journalism by joining the editorial team of Udayavani. He is known for his columns — ‘Lalitharanga’ and ‘Kalavihara’ which had a wide spread readership. He promoted Yakshagana through these columns. He was also the editor of Tushara magazine.

Ishwarayya has translated the 16th volume of the Vishwakathakosha edited by writer Niranjan into Kannada. More than 60 of his short stories have been published in Sudha, Kasturi, Mayura, Prajamatha, Mallige and other Kannada magazines.

Ishwarayya has won many awards including the ‘Polya Yakshagana Prashasti’, the ‘Karnataka Rajya Pathrika Academy Award’, the ‘Sandesha Award’, the ‘Parashurama Prashasti’, and the ‘Vyasa Sahitya Prashasti’ among others.

Recently, Kantavara Kannada Sangha published a biography on Ishwarayya tiltled ‘Kalalokada Chintaka – A Ishwarayya’.