>Bearcat at 19:39, 10 June 2021

2021-06-10T19:39:25Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ba. Na. Sundara Rao
| image = BANASUM.jpg
| caption =
| alt =
| native_name_lang = Kannada
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|03|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Varthur]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|1986|10|08|1918|03|26|df=y}}
| occupation = Author and Journalist
| years_active = 1945 to 1986
| known_for =
| notable_works = "ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಇತಿಹಾಸ" Bengalurina Itihasa, History of Bangalore from Founding until Indian Independence; and
"ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ವೀರ ಯೋಧರು" Karnatakada Veera Yodharu, Brave Warriors of Karnataka.
| spouse = Kannada Author S. N. Rathnamma (married 1943)
| children = 5
}}

'''Balagere Narasimhamurthy Sundara Rao''' or '''Ba. Na. Sundararao''', (26 March 1918 {{spaced ndash}} 8 October 1986), who wrote poetry under the pen name '''Vanavihari''', was known by his Kannada initials as '''Ba.Na.Sum.'''. Banasum was active in Kannada literary circles from the 1950s until his demise in 1986, and is well known as an author, historian, and journalist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sobagu.in/ಬ-ನ-ಸುಂದರರಾವ್/|title=Ba. Na. Sundararao|website=Sobagu.in|publisher=Sobagu.in Govt of Karnataka Initiative|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=7 August 2019}}</ref>

A prolific writer, he authored 25 [[Kannada language|Kannada]] books<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL5545946A/Ba._Na._Sundara_Rao|title=Ba. Na. Sundara Rao|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=4 August 2019}}</ref> including "Bengalurina Itihasa",<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://lccn.loc.gov/2012351011|title=Library of Congress Catalog Number for Bengalurina Itihasa|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|publisher=Aṅkita Pustaka|year=2011}}</ref> one of the few authentic sources on the history of Bengaluru from founding till Indian independence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Bengalurina itihasa|lccn = 2012351011}}</ref> He also wrote and published biographies of notable people of Karnataka, several travelogues, short stories, poems and many articles in various periodicals.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|title=6 Dr. S. R. Ramaswamy Speech-2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzOlatx_4_4|language=en|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> He was a great orator and gave lectures on history, literature, education and the [[Indian independence movement|Indian freedom movement]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sobagu.in/%e0%b2%ac-%e0%b2%a8-%e0%b2%b8%e0%b3%81%e0%b2%82%e0%b2%a6%e0%b2%b0%e0%b2%b0%e0%b2%be%e0%b2%b5%e0%b3%8d/|title=ಬ.ನ. ಸುಂದರರಾವ್|date=26 March 2015|website=ಸೊಬಗು – Sobagu|language=en|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

As a Kannada historian, Banasum published "Banglodaya",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17897124W/B%C4%81ngl%C5%8Ddaya|title=Bānglōdaya {{!}} Open Library|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=4 August 2019}}</ref> a book about the creation of [[Bangladesh]]; and "Bharata-Pakistana Samarada Itihasa<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17897119W|title=Bharata Pakistana Samarada Itihasa {{!}} Open Library|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref>" History of Indo-Pak War; the books demanded considerable labour and his meetings with the military personnel at various levels culminated in another monumental work on the biographical sketches of one hundred warriors from Karnataka who fought in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], some of whom lost their lives in the war. The book "Karnatakada Veera Yodharu<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17897120W/Karnatakada_Veerayodharu|title=Karnatakada Veerayodharu {{!}} Open Library|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref>" (Kannada: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ವೀರಯೋಧರು) (Brave Warriors of Karnataka), was released in 1972 by [[K. M. Cariappa|General K. M. Cariappa]].<ref name=":4">{{Citation|title=Divangata Ba. Na. Sundara Rao Smaraka|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mht6gfb2i2o|language=en|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> He also wrote biographies of [[M. Visvesvaraya|Sir M. Visveswaraiah]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17897118W|title=Sir M. Vishveshwaraiah Jeevana mattu Saadhane (Sir M.V.'s Life and Achievements) {{!}} Open Library|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref> Cha. Vasudevayya<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL5343872W/Ca._V%C4%81sud%C4%93vayya|title=Ca. Vāsudēvayya {{!}} Open Library|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref> (teacher of [[M. Visvesvaraya|Sir M.V.]]), and of notable dramatist Bellave Naraharishastri.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mythicsociety.org/book/page/2490/|title=Books Archive – Page 2490 of 3285|website=Mythic Society|language=en-US|access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref>

As a novelist, Banasum documented the struggles of the people of Bengaluru who could not enjoy the freedom on 15 August 1947. The Mysore Wodeyars had to be coaxed in to joining the Indian Democratic Government,{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} and that resulted in a movement entitled "[[K. Chengalaraya Reddy|Chalo Mysore]]" (Kannada: ಚಲೋ ಮೈಸೂರು) (March to Mysore). Centered on this movement, he penned a historical novel with this title, and published it in 1984.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17897125W/Chalo_Mysore_1948|title=Chalo Mysore 1948 {{!}} Open Library|last=OpenLibrary.org|website=Open Library|language=en|access-date=4 August 2019}}</ref>

Sundararao gave a lecture series on the history of Bengaluru at the Secretariat Club in [[Cubbon Park]] during the 1980s. The lecture notes were compiled into the nucleus of a book, and turned into his magnum opus, Bengalurina Itihasa,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":6">{{Citation|title=7 Dr. S. R. Ramaswamy Speech-3|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX71LzTPaNY|language=en|access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref> which was released in 1986 by Chief Editor of the Karnataka State Gazetteer [[Suryanath U. Kamath|Dr. Suryanath U. Kamath]]. The book was published after many years of laborious research in government archives and after researching relevant archeological artefacts located all over the city and surrounding rural areas.<ref name=":6" /> This book is considered as an authentic source on the [[History of Bangalore|history of Bengaluru]].<ref>[https://bcu.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MA-History-Notification-and-II-Semester-Syllabus.pdf Bangalore Central University MA (History) Course lists Ba. Na. Sundararao's book in the course syllabus.]</ref>

Ba. Na. Sundararao was felicitated for lifetime contribution to Kannada literature by literary persons, students and well-wishers at the [[Kannada Sahitya Parishat]], in June 1986. A fest-shrift entitled "Vanavihari" (Kannada: ವನವಿಹಾರಿ) also was published, documenting his achievements.<ref name=":4" /> Soon after this he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest, which abruptly ended an eventful life. Ba. Na. Sum's birth centenary was celebrated in 2018, when public interest was revived, and his contribution to Kannada literature was hailed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://epaper.prajavani.net/?pub=pp3-20180311_14&article=1202739097|title=Prajavani E-Paper|website=epaper.prajavani.net|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.deccanheraldepaper.com/?pub=pp3-20180313_2&article=2115180728|title=Deccan Herald E-Paper|website=www.deccanheraldepaper.com|access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Ba. Na. Sundara}}
[[Category:Indian writers]]
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:Kannada-language journalists]]
[[Category:Kannada literature]]
[[Category:Indian literary historians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]

Ba. Na. Sundara Rao - Revision history

>Bearcat at 19:39, 10 June 2021