HS Venkateshamurthy

H. S. Venkateshamurthy, also known as Dr. Hodigere Shanbhog Venkateshmurthy, was born on 23 June 1944 in Hodigere village, Channagiri Taluk, Shimoga District. His father is Narayana Bhatta, and his mother is Nagarathnamma. He is an Indian film director, playwright, children's literature writer, professor, translator, critic and poet in Kannada Literature and Cinema.

He completed his school education in his native village, Hodigere. He also studied in Holalkere town and did his collegiate training at Chitradurga. He did a Master's in Kannada at the Central College, Bangalore. He was also a lecturer and professor at St. Joseph's College of Commerce, Bangalore, for about three decades. After retirement, he settled in Bangalore and devoted himself to poetry and plays. He earned a Doctorate in Literature for Kannadadalli Kathana Kavanagalu research.

He is a Post-Navya writer. His works are a blend of Pre-Navya and Post-Navya movements. He is also a Bhavageeta poet. He has published 100-plus Kannada books. Some of his published books include Teardrops, Shankadolagina Mouna, Uttarayana Mattu, Kannadiya Surya, Vaidehi, and Suneetha Bhava. He is known for his songs Mythri, Kamana Billina Mele in Balondu Bhavageetha, Banalli Telo Moda in America America, Thoogu Manchadalli Koothu in Kirik Party Click to look into! >> Read More... , and all the songs in Kotreshi Kanasu. He is also known for his story, dialogue and the songs in Chinnari Mutta and his written dialogue in Kraurya. 

He was awarded the Bala Puraskar Award from Central Sahitya Academy, India (2013). He has also received the V. M. Inamdar Memorial Award for the book Kumaravyasa Kathanthara. He received the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist - Kannada at the 66th Filmfare Awards South for his work in Hasiru Ribbon Click to look into! >> Read More... . He has received the Kendra Sahitya Academy Translation Award for his work Rutuvilasa (1988), the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Book Prize in 1977, 1985, 1986, 1993, and 1997, the Kannada Rajyothsava Award from the Karnataka Government in 2003, the Devaraja Bahaddur Award for his novel Tapi (1978), the Dinkara Desai Prathisthana Award in 1978 for his poetry work Eshtondu Mugilu, B. H. Sridhara Award (1990), Aryabhata Award (1993), and Ambikatanayadatta Rashtriya Prashasthi (2016).

Some of his key recognitions include Gandha Vrata Felicitation, presented on his 60th birthday and Antahkarana Felicitation Volume, presented on his 70th birthday, the Chairperson of District Literary Conference Davanagere, participation as a Literary Delegate in AKKA Vishwa Kannada Sammelana USA, and his Presidency in Davanagere Zilla Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held at Honnali.