Bengaluru: Renowned Scholar Prof. K.S. Narayanacharya (88) passed away at his residence in Sanjaynagar here in the wee hours of Friday.

He leaves behind his wife, a son, three daughters and a host of relatives and friends. His last rites were performed at a crematorium in Chamarajpet yesterday evening.

Prof. Narayanacharya was a multi-lingual scholar and used to give discourses on ‘Ramayana’ in Kannada, English, Sanskrit and Tamil. He was popularly known as ‘Ramayanacharyaru’ and had earned many titles including ‘Vidwanmani’, ‘Vedabhushana’, ‘Valmiki Hrudayagna’, ‘Mahabharathacharya’, ‘Karnataka Kalashri’, ‘Upanyasa Kesari’ and ‘Gamaka Ratnakara’.

He had won many awards and prizes including  Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1973, Kannada Rajyotsava award in 2008 and ‘Valmiki’ award at the International Ramayana Meet. Mysuru’s KSOU had conferred D.Lit degree on him.

Born to K.N. Srinivas Deshikachar and Ranganayakamma couple at Kanakanahalli in the then Bengaluru district in 1933, Prof. Narayanacharya got his B.Sc degree from University of Mysore in 1954, BA (Hons) degree in 1957 and did his MA in English in 1958. He was accorded Doctorate degree for his thesis on ‘The influence of Indian Philosophy on the poetry of W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot’. Starting his career as an English faculty at Dharwad’s Karnatak Arts College in 1962 and retired as the College Principal in 1993.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who is the MP from Dharwad,  has condoled his death. In his condolence message, Joshi said that Prof. Narayanacharya was a renowned vedic scholar and was authentic in his delivery of discourses on Ramayana. His demise has left a deep void in the scholarly world, he added.

Suttur Seer condoles death

Suttur Mutt Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji has condoled the death of vedic scholar Prof. K.S.Narayanacharya.

In his condolence message, the Seer said that Prof. Narayanacharya had served as an English faculty of Karnatak University at Dharwad and was fluent in Kannada, English and Sanskrit languages. He has over 70 works and novels on Ramayana and other vedic subjects to his credit. His demise has created a  big void in the Religious, Literary and Scholarly world of the State.

He has prayed the Almighty to give strength to his family members and innumerable number of his followers to bear the loss, the Seer said.