A. N. Prahlada Rao (born 24 July 1953) is an Indian author and

Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

-language

crossword A crossword is a word puzzle that usually takes the form of a square or a rectangular grid of white- and black-shaded squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to the ans ...

compiler/ Constructor.

Career

A. N. Prahlada Rao was born at Abbani in the

Kolar district Kolar district ) is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. Kolar ( ಕೋಲಾರ) is the district headquarters. Located in southern Karnataka, it is the state's easternmost district. The district is surrounded by the Bangalore Rural d ...

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, India. He started his career as a

journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

and was the founder editor of '' Honnudi''. Rao's involvement in crossword compilation is a hobby that developed from an interest in solving both Kannada and English crosswords while a student in the mid-1970s. He joined the Karnataka Information Department in 1983 in a public relations role and it was at that time he began to compile seriously. He now works as Public Relations Officer to Minister for Social Welfare, Government of Karnataka and compiles daily puzzles, sometimes with assistance from his wife. He specialises in themed puzzles and has a particular fondness for cinema. They have appeared in daily, weekly and fortnightly publications such as ''

Prajavani ''Prajavani'' (Kannada:''Voice of the People'') is a leading Kannada-language broadsheet daily newspaper published in Karnataka, India. Having a readership of over 2.01 million, it is one of the largest circulated newspapers in the state. His ...

'', ''

Samyukta Karnataka ''Samyukta Karnataka'' is a major Kannada newspaper which has its headquarters in Hubballi, Karnataka. It is also published from Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Bagalkot, Kalaburgi and Davanagere. The incumbent editor is Hunasavadi Rajan. The newspape ...

'', ''

Shakthi In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and re ...

'', ''

Mangala Mangala (Sanskrit: मङ्गल, IAST: ) is the personification, as well as the name for the planet Mars, in Hindu literature. Also known as Lohita (), he is the celibate deity of anger, aggression, as well as war. According to Vaishnavism, ...

'', ''

Vijaya Karnataka ''Vijaya Karnataka'' is a Kannada newspaper published from a number of cities in Karnataka. The newspaper is published from Bengaluru, Hubballi, Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Kalaburagi, Gangavathi, Belagavi, Davanagere, Hassan, Chitradurga. It wa ...

'' and ''Ee Sanje''. Now he is creating daily Crosswords for Vijaya Karnataka, Samyukta Karnataka andPrajavani (Sahapati). By the end of 2018 July he has composed 42,000 Crosswords and quiz puzzles. Compilation initially took him around two hours but he had reduced that to no more than 20 minutes. Aside from producing crosswords, Rao also sets quizzes for several publications, drawing on the same trivia and reference books that he has amassed for his compilation efforts. The front wall of his house includes a crossword grid of black and white tiles. He has contributed his crosswords to more than 40 Kannada periodicals in the 25 years to 2016.

Crossword books

The first volumes of Kannada crossword puzzles compiled by Rao were launched on 14 February 2008. Three of the five Kannada crossword books are based on general knowledge, one on Kannada cinema, and another one for children. To mark the centenary of the first crossword, in 2013 Rao wrote two Kannada crossword books, titled ''Pada Kreede'' and ''Pada Looka''. Each contained 160 crosswords. 5 More Kannada Crossword books has released on 15.01.2017, titled Padajala, Padajaga, Padaranga, Padasampada and Padavyuha. Prof. Doddarangegowda, Poet released the books. 6 One more Crossword book containg of 180 crossword published in 2021. Book has been published by Vasanta Prakashana (https://www.flipkart.com/padahaasu/p/itm9099917badc0a)

Limca Book of Record

As of 2016, Rao is noted in the

Limca Book of Records The ''Limca Book of Records'' is an annual reference book published in India documenting world records held by Indians. The records are further categorized into education, literature, agriculture, medical science, business, sports, nature, advent ...

for creating the greatest number of crosswords in a regional language.

Kalam Book of World Record

His name has included in Kalam Book of World Records in 2019.

ASIAN Record

A.N.Prahlada Rao's name has included in Asian Record Academy in 2021.

Other works

*''

Bangarada Manushya ''Bangaarada Manushya'' ( kn, ಬಂಗಾರದ ಮನುಷ್ಯ, ''Golden Man'') is a 1972 Indian Kannada language film based on T. K. Rama Rao's novel of same name. Ramarao was known for his crime and detective novels, but this film was a ...

'' (2005), a biography of Dr. Rajakumar, a popular Kannada film actor. Also translated into English as '' Dr. Rajkumar: The Inimitable Actor With A Golden Voice'' (2008). *'' Belliterey Belagidavaru'' (''Gems of the Silver Screen'') (2007), contains profiles of 115 film stars of

Kannada cinema Kannada cinema, also known as Sandalwood, or Chandanavana, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Kannada language widely spoken in the state of Karnataka. The 1934 film '' Sati Sulochana'' directe ...

*'' Vasanta Mallika'' (''Beginning Blossoms'') (2008), a CD containing nine poems that were sung by Vasantha Shashi with music composed by Puttur Narasihma Nayak. *'' Nanna Daari Vibhinna Daari - Rajanikanth'' (2013), about the Tamil film actor

Rajanikanth Shivaji Rao Gaikwad (born 12 December 1950), known professionally as Rajinikanth, is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter. In a career spanning over five decades, he has done 160 films that includes films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannad ...

*'' Praana Padaka'' (2013), contains recollections of Rajakumar's wife, Parvathamma. *'' Jaitrayaatre'', a translation into Kannada of the similarly titled book written in English by K. Jairaj, an Additional Chief Secretary in the

Indian Administrative Service The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the administrative arm of the All India Services of Government of India. Considered the premier civil service of India, the IAS is one of the three arms of the All India Services along with the Indian ...

. It documents Jairaj's experiences as an administrator over three decades and was serialised in the Kannada daily newspaper ''

''. *'' Danivillada Dhani'', a Book on B.R.Pantulu, Great Director, Produces and Actor in Kannada and Tamil, written by A.N.Prahlada Rao, published through Karnataka Chalana Chitra Academy has been released by Dr. Bharati Vishnuvardhan in November 2016 at Samsa. In 2009, 75 books about people who had contributed to Kannada cinema were released as part of the Platinum Jubilee

Kannada Cinema-75 Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

organised by Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. Among those books were two by Rao, being his earlier work on Rajakumar and T. S. Karibasaiah. A.N.Prahlada Rao has inducted into the PR Hall of Fame, and felicitated with prestigious PRCI awards at the 12th Global Communication Conclave held at Pune, March 2018.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, A. N. Prahlada Living people Crossword compilers 1953 births People from Kolar World record holders