Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jan 26:  Bannanje Govindacharya (72), a self-made scholar from here, has made the town and the district proud by gaining in height and stature that attracted national recognition for him and earning him the well deserved honour of 'Padmashree' award.  With his feat, Acharya has showed what a person who never entered a school, can achieve in life and therefore, has emerged as an icon to many who have been unable to pursue education due to various problems to emulate him and earn knowledge on their own.

Acharya's father Padamunnur Narayanacharyua was an accomplished scholar. Acharya, who since childhood, had insatiable hunger to get deeply involved with everything in which he was interested in,  backed by an urge to learn more. He is considered an authority in Kannada, Sanskrit and Tulu languages while he has also mastered English.  Acharya served for long as the editor of the magazine section of 'Udayavani' daily before retiring in 1989.

Bannanje, as he is popularly known, has authored over 50 independent works in Kannada and Sanskrit and edited over 15 books. Edition of all the source works of Madhwacharya is considered to be his greatest achievement. The works he edited was published by Palimar Math.

Acharya, who is also an accomplished translator of Sanskrit books, translated a novel by Bana Bhatta, a work on Rama by Bhavabhuti, 'Mricchakatika' by Shoodraka, 'Abhijnana Shakuntala' by Kalidasa etc. He earned the translation award of the Central Sahitya Akademi for his work, 'Aveya Mannina Aatada Bandi'. He has earned various awards and honours for his accomplishments and his discourses have a large fan following not only in India but also abroad.

Most of the time, we find that references to him are almost always made as 'Vidyavachaspati Bannanje Govindacharya', the first word being the honour bestowed on him by Sri Vibhudeshateerta Swamiji of Admar Math in 1974.