To mark the 173rd birth anniversary of M. Venkatakrishnaiah (Thataiah), Sarada Vilas Educational Institutions, Krishnamurthypuram, has organised M. Venkatakrishnaiah Award function at Sarada Vilas Centenary Hall on Sept.16 (Saturday) at 5 pm. This year, M. Venkatakrishnaiah Award will be given to noted scholar Dr. T.V. Venkatachala Sastry. Dr. Niranjana Vanalli, Registrar, Music Varsity, will speak on Venkatakrishnaiah. Prof. N.S. Taranath, Visiting Professor, Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies, Manasagangothri, will speak on the awardee. R. Guru, President of Anathalaya, will present the award. Shwetha Madappadi and troupe will present Sugama Sangeetha on the occasion.

Mysuru city, regarded as the cultural capital of the State, has given birth to many renowned leaders, politicians and scholars. Many poor people and destitutes too came to Mysuru to make their living and later created history by making memorable services to the mankind. M. Venkatakrishnaiah, popularly known as Thataiah, is one among them.

He was the pillar stone of Sarada Vilas Educational Institutions in city. Regarded and respected with titles like ‘Anatha Rakshaka’, ‘Stitha Pragna’, ‘Apathbhandhava’ and ‘Adarsha Shikshaka,’ he was also one of the pillar stones of Marimallappa Educational Institutions in city.

Born on Sept. 5, 1844 at Magge village in H.D. Kote taluk of Mysuru district to Vedamurthy and Bhagirathamma couple, Venkatakrishnaiah lost his father at a very young age. His mother Bhagirathamma looked after the family which migrated to Mysuru. Venkatakrishnaiah joined the school and continued his education at Raja School.  

During 1874-75, Venkatakrishnaiah secured English teacher’s post at Marimallappa’s School and was promoted as Head Master in 1882. In 1918, he retired from services and started Sarada Vilas High School.

Venkatakrishnaiah is also considered as ‘Patrikarangada Bheeshma.’

However, the greatest contribution of Venkatakrishnaiah for Mysuru was the ‘Anathalaya,’ which is providing shelter to poor people and destitutes even today.  As a token of appreciation, the statue of Thataiah was unveiled in front of the Lansdowne Building here in 1969, by the then President of India V.V. Giri.

About the awardee: Togere Venkatasubbasastry Venkatachala Sastry is a Kannada writer, grammarian, critic, editor and lexicographer. He has authored more than 100 books, translations and has edited collections of essays, biographical sketches and felicitation volumes. He is the recipient of the Kannada Sahitya Akademi Award (honorary).

His book ‘Mulukanadu Brahmanaru’ is a sociological study of the Mulukanadu community since the early 17th century, outlining their origin, migration and embrace of western education. Sastry was a Kannada Professor at University of Mysore and held the additional post of Director at Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe before retiring in 1994.