On February 1, Ananya Prasad, a 32-year-old British-Indian woman, made history by being the first woman of color to row across the Atlantic Ocean alone! She achieved this incredible feat in the World’s Toughest Row competition, using only her oars and strength to cross 3,000 miles of ocean. Despite facing rough waters, loneliness, and a broken rudder, Ananya completed her journey in 52 days, 5 hours, and 44 minutes.
What’s even more special for people in Bangalore is that Ananya’s parents are from there, and her grandfather, GS Shivarudrappa (GSS), was a famous Kannada poet honored with the title Rashtrakavi. This title is given to the best poets, and GSS was one of only three poets, along with Kuvempu and Govinda Pai, to receive it.
The history of Kannada poetry goes back many years. The first famous Kannada poet was Pampa, who lived in the 10th century. He created beautiful stories combining poetry and prose. His work influenced other poets, leading to a style known as champu poetry, which was popular for two centuries.
In the 12th century, a new group of poets called the vachanakaras appeared. They wrote in free verse, using simple language to express their thoughts about spirituality and social issues. One of the major turns in Kannada poetry came in the 16th century with Purandaradasa, who started devotional poems and is known as the father of Carnatic music.
In the 20th century, the Navodaya movement sparked a new interest in Kannada poetry, inspired by English romantic poets. This was followed by the Navya movement, which focused on real-life issues like social injustice and poverty, with writers like Gopalakrishna Adiga leading the way.
Ananya’s grandfather, GSS, was influenced by both the romantic poets and the more realistic Navya writers. He was born in 1926 and became a beloved poet, earning the title Rashtrakavi in 2006 before he passed away in 2013. He is remembered for his wonderful poetry that could easily be sung and for connecting different poetic traditions.
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