Kannada litterateur and activist Chandrashekar Patil passed away on Monday, January 10, in a private hospital in Bengaluru after suffering from age-related ailments. He was 83. His family sources told IANS that his final rites would be carried out in Bengaluru. Popularly known as Champa, Patil was a well-known poet and playwright, and considered one of the foremost voices of 'Bandaya', a progressive, rebel literary movement.
Champa was the editor of the influential literary journal 'Sankramana'. He was known for leading many social and literary movements such as the historical Gokak agitation, Bandaya, anti-Emergency movement, agitation for the implementation of Mandal report, farmers' movement and others.
After retiring as a professor of English from Karnataka University in Dharwad, Patil served as the President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishad and as the Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority. Patil had returned his Pampa Award, the highest literary honour from the government of Karnataka, protesting the assassination of scholar Professor MM Kalburgi.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed condolences at Champa's death. Patil hailed from Hattimattur village in Haveri district and went on to become popular as 'Champa'. "He is a revolutionary litterateur. His contribution to Kannada literature is immense. He fought for the supremacy of the language of the land all through," Bommai said.
ಹಿರಿಯ ಕವಿ, ಸಾಹಿತಿ, ವಿಮರ್ಶಕ, ನಾಟಕಕಾರ, ಪ್ರೊಫೆಸರ್ ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖರ್ ಪಾಟೀಲ್ (ಚಂಪಾ) ಅವರು ನಿಧನರಾದ ವಿಷಯದಿಂದ ತುಂಭಾ ದುಃಖಿತನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ.
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) January 10, 2022
ಹಾವೇರಿ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಹತ್ತಿಮತ್ತೂರಿನವರಾದ ಚಂಪಾ ಅವರು ಒಬ್ಬ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಕಾರಿ ಸಾಹಿತಿ. ಕನ್ನಡ ನಾಡು-ನುಡಿಗೆ ಅವರು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿದ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಅಪಾರ.
1/3 pic.twitter.com/MahFYOn3Aq
ಅನ್ಯಾಯ, ಅಸಮಾನತೆ, ಸರ್ವಾಧಿಕಾರದ ವಿರುದ್ದ ಸಿಡಿಯುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದ ಹುಟ್ಟು ಬಂಡಾಯಗಾರ, ವೈಚಾರಿಕ ಗುರು ಮತ್ತು ನನ್ನ ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲದ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರಾಗಿದ್ದ ಪ್ರೊ.ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖರ ಪಾಟೀಲ್ ನಿಧನದಿಂದ ದು:ಖಿತನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 10, 2022
ಇವರ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಮತ್ತು ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳ ಶೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನೂ ಭಾಗಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ.
ಭಾವಪೂರ್ಣ ಶ್ರದ್ಧಾಂಜಲಿ.
pic.twitter.com/Og7mxLyWkW
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah also shared his condolence message and said Champa's death is a loss to the Kannada literature world. Patil is survived by his wife and two children.