Indian writer (1936–2020)
Kokkare Hosahalli Shekh Haider Nissar Ahmed (5 February 1936 – 3 May 2020[1]) was an Indian poet and writer in the Kannada language.[2][3] He was awarded the Padma Shri (2008),[4] the Rajyotsava Award (1981) and the Pampa award for his work (2017). He became a household name for his work Nityotsava (Daily celebration), which is a poem about Karnataka, a piece he composed after seeing Jog falls. He has numerous poems, translations and children's books to his credit. He is known for using simple words that resonate deeply with the public in his literary work.
Early life and education
Nissar Ahmed was born in Devanahalli in Bangalore rural. His father was a government employee. His family moved to Dodda Mavalli in Bangalore. He grew up in a Muslim colony which had about 500 Muslim families. His father admitted him to a Kannada medium school, with the objective of easing the path for him to secure a government job. Most of the children in the neighbourhood studied Urdu.
He was inspired by writers G. P. Rajarathnam and M. V. Seetharamiah who were his teachers at high school.
He was a post-graduate in Geology who worked as an Assistant Geologist in The Mysore Mines and Geology at Gulbarga before coming in touch with Kuvempu and was invited to the Kannada poets' meet during Dasara festival in 1959.[5]
Teacher
He worked as a lecturer in Geology in Central College, Bangalore and then in Chitradurga. Later, he taught in the Sahyadri First Grade College in Shimoga for two terms during 1967–72 and 1975–78.
Writer
Nissar Ahmed belongs to the group of Kannada writers who excelled in Kannada literary work even though their mother tongues were not Kannada. These included D. R. Bendre, G. P. Rajarathnam, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, N. Kasturi and also Nissar Ahmed.
He is best known for Nityotsava (ನಿತ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ).[5] The Nityotsava compilation was released in the year 1978. The Nityotsava song went on to become very famous and he eventually became a household name in Karnataka. A total of 13 albums have been published. He was the chairperson of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy between 1984 and 1987.
Honours
Nissar Ahmed was the chairperson of 73rd Akhila Bharatha Kannada Sahitya Sammelana (All India Kannada Literary Symposium) held at Shivamogga in 2007.[7] The 407th edition of Mysuru Dasara was inaugurated by him in 2017 atop Chamundi Hills.[14]
He was conferred honorary doctorates by Kuvempu University,[15] Bangalore University and Karnatak University in recognition of his work.
Personal life
Nissar Ahmed was married to Shahnawaz Begum. Nissar and his wife narrowly escaped a terrorist blast in Jaipur.[16] The couple had two sons and daughters.
Death
Nissar Ahmed died on Sunday, 3 May in Bengaluru at his residence. He was aged 84 and died due to age related ailments.[16] He was heartbroken as he had lost his wife the previous year and most recently his son in the US to cancer. His end came only 18 days after the demise of his son. He died at his residence in Padmanabhanagar peacefully.
