Kanchin789 at 12:48, 26 September 2025

2025-09-26T12:48:01Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox person
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| name = Kotiganahalli Ramaiah
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| birth_name = Ramaiah
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1954}}
| birth_place = Kotiganahalli, [[Kolar, Karnataka]], India
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'''Kotiganahalli Ramaiah''' (born {{circa|1954}}) is a [[Dalit]] poet, playwright, philosopher and cultural activist from [[Karnataka]], India.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hasan |first=Anjum |url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/printarticle.aspx?page=comments&action=add&sectid=36&contentid=20100613201006132147183149d31e8c&subsite= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118052339/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/printarticle.aspx?page=comments&action=add&sectid=36&contentid=20100613201006132147183149d31e8c&subsite= |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 January 2013 |title=Bangalore Mirror |date=13 June 2010 |accessdate=8 September 2012 }}</ref><ref name="articles.timesofindia.indiatimes" /> He is one of the founders of Aadima,<ref>{{cite news |author=Nirmala Govindarajan |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/kurosawa-rocks-kolar/articleshow/14682092.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103222956/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-05/bangalore/32550976_1_akira-kurosawa-kurosawa-films-fest |url-status=live |archive-date=3 January 2013 |title=Kurosawa rocks Kolar |work=The Times of India |date=5 July 2012 |access-date=8 September 2012 }}</ref> an institution that experiments with children's theatre, film, education and caste consciousness.

He was an [[Aam Aadmi Party]] candidate for [[Kolar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kolar Lok Sabha constituency]] in the [[2014 Indian general election]].<ref name="AAP fields child rights activist against Nandan">{{cite news|title=AAP fields child rights activist against Nandan|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/AAP-fields-child-rights-activist-against-Nandan/articleshow/31807954.cms|accessdate=11 March 2014|newspaper=The Times of India|date=11 March 2014}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Ramaiah was born in the village of Kotiganahalli in [[Kolar district]], Karnataka. He quit college, before completing a degree, to join the [[Dalit Sangharsha Samiti]], a political group that spearheaded the struggle against caste discrimination and fought to acquire land rights for the former untouchables castes in Karnataka.<ref name="bangaloremirror">{{cite news|url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/printarticle.aspx?page=comments&action=translate&sectid=36&contentid=20100613201006132147183149d31e8c&subsite=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117155558/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/printarticle.aspx?page=comments&action=translate&sectid=36&contentid=20100613201006132147183149d31e8c&subsite=|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 January 2013|accessdate=8 September 2012}}</ref> He rose to be an instrumental figure in the Dalit movement where his contribution is most remembered for the numerous songs of resistance and struggles penned by him, some of which were adapted from the political climate of the left movement in Andhra Pradesh, particularly those by the revolutionary poet [[Gaddar]]. During this period Ramaiah also worked as a journalist with Lankesh Patrike, Mungaru and Suggi Sangati; and as a screenplay writer for numerous Kannada films and television serials.<ref name="bangaloremirror" />{{dead link|date=March 2014}}

==Founding of Aadima==
Disillusioned with what he perceived as a lack of direction within the Dalit movement,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/Content/Aug172008/district2008081685023.asp |title=DSS deviating from chosen path |work=Deccan Herald|accessdate=8 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311105444/http://archive.deccanherald.com/Content/Aug172008/district2008081685023.asp |archive-date=11 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as the rapid erasure of the inclusive foundations of the modern Indian state, Ramaiah and a few others within the movement envisioned a broad-based cultural response to address the roots of social exclusion in India. They saved a rupee a day for many years towards the establishment of Aadima, an experimental space that aims to temper the overarching need for political modernity with an understanding of the history of cultural resistance and the philosophical meaning systems that evolved as a response to centuries of marginalisation. Aadima was founded in 2005, adjoining Shivagange Village on the Anthargange Hill Range. Since then, Aadima has been researching and documenting oral traditions and narratives, creating plays and films and, experimenting in educational pedagogy with numerous communities that live in the Anthargange Hill Range. Aadima also plays host to Hunimme Haadu, an event on full moon nights that features plays from across Karnataka.<ref name="articles.timesofindia.indiatimes">{{cite news|author=Nirmala Govindarajan |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Where-people-come-alive-on-full-moon-nights/articleshow/15359310.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103080145/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-05/bangalore/33048297_1_kolar-jinke-rammaiana-gudda-adima-angala |url-status=live |archive-date=3 January 2013 |title=Where people come alive on full moon nights |work=The Times of India |date=5 August 2012 |access-date=8 September 2012 }}</ref><ref name="bangaloremirror" />

==Awards==
* (2005) Karnataka Rajyotsava Award<ref>{{cite news |url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct302005/state19402620051029.asp |title=Rajyotsava awards: 127 personalities honoured from various fields |work=Deccan Herald|date=30 October 2005 |accessdate=8 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819235515/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct302005/state19402620051029.asp |archive-date=19 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* (2012) Karnataka Sahitya Akademy Award<ref>{{cite news|author=Kolar, 15 July, DHNS |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/176704/sahitya-academy-award-presented-k.html |title=Sahitya Academy award presented to K Ramaiah |work=Deccan Herald|date=31 August 2012 |accessdate=8 September 2012}}</ref>
* (2012) Suvarna Ranga Samman – Kannada Sangha Kanthavara<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/Kannada-Sangha-Kanthavara-will-honour-theatre-artist-Kotiganahalli-Ramaiah-with-Suvarna-Ranga-Samman-at-Pampa-Mahakavi-Sabha-Bhavana-in-Kanthavara-on-March-25-Litterateur-Vijaya-will-preside-while-Vardhamana-Prashasthi-Peeta-president-CK-Padiwal-will-be-the-guest-/articleshow/12306934.cms |title=Kannada Sangha Kanthavara will honour theatre artist Kotiganahalli Ramaiah with 'Suvarna Ranga Samman' at Pampa Mahakavi Sabha Bhavana in Kanthavara |work=The Times of India |date=17 March 2012 |accessdate=8 September 2012}}</ref>

==Works==
===Plays===
*''Kaage Kannu Irve Bala''
*''Nayi Thippa''
*''Ratnapaksi''
*''Kannaspatre Quenalli Jagadambe''
*''Hakki Hadu''
*''Vogatina Rani''
*''Sum Sumke''
*''Darb Bar Buddanna''
*''Marjina Mattu Nalavattu Jana Kallaru''
*''Kattale Rajya''

===Published works===
*''Kaage Kannu Irve Bala'' (2012)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://justbooksclc.com/titles/303410 |title=Kage Kannu Iruve Bala : Ramaiah : NOISBN |publisher=Justbooksclc.com |accessdate=8 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819205538/http://justbooksclc.com/titles/303410 |archive-date=19 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*''No Alphabet in Sight: New Dalit Writing from South India'', Dossier 2 – Editors – Susie Tharu and K. Satyanarayana (Forthcoming 2012)
*''Sindh Madigara Samskruti'' (1993)<ref>{{cite web |author=Ramaiah, Kotiganahalli . |url=http://115.119.146.169:8085/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=36566&shelfbrowse_itemnumber=51479 |title=Details for: Sindh Madigara Sumskruthi |publisher=Christ University Library Catalog |date=17 May 2003 |accessdate=8 September 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121201225346/http://115.119.146.169:8085/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=36566&shelfbrowse_itemnumber=51479 |archive-date=1 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Aam Aadmi Party}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramaiah, Kotiganahalli}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Aam Aadmi Party candidates in the 2014 Indian general election]]
[[Category:Dalit writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Poets from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian philosophers]]
[[Category:Dramatists and playwrights from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2005]]

Kotiganahalli Ramaiah - Revision history

Kanchin789 at 12:48, 26 September 2025