Devulapalli Krishnasastri (1 November 1897 – 24 February 1980) was a

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

poet,

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

and translator known for his works in

Telugu literature Telugu literature is the body of works written in the Telugu language. It consists of poems, short stories, novels, plays, and song lyrics, among others. There is some indication that Telugu literature dates at least to the middle of the first ...

and

Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Telugu cinema is based in Film Nagar, Hy ...

. He is known as ''Andhra Shelley''. In 1976, Krishnasastri was honoured with

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...

, third highest civilian award in India. In 1978, he received

Sahitya Akademi Award The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...

for his literary works.

Early life

Krishnasastri was born on 1 November 1897 in Ramachandrapalem of

East Godavari East Godavari is a district in the Coastal Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Its district headquarters is at Rajahmundry. As of 2011 Census of India, census 2011, it became the most populous district of the state with a population of 5,151,54 ...

, India. He was brought up in

Pithapuram Pithapuram, historically known as Pittapore, is a town and a municipality in the Kakinada district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The town also forms a part of Godavari Urban Development Authority. The town is home to one of the eighteen ...

in a family of court-poets.Krishnasastri
He grew interest in

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...

while he was in his high school.

Career

Krishnasastri started writing poetry from a very young age. Krishnasastri's works changed significantly after he met

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...

Santiniketan Santiniketan is a neighbourhood of Bolpur town in the Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in West Bengal, India, approximately 152 km north of Kolkata. It was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore, and later expanded by his son ...

in 1929. Krishnasastri joined

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...

in 1945 and wrote a number of plays for it. He also translated Goda Devi's Tamil

Tiruppavai The Thiruppavai (Tamil: திருப்பாவை) is a set of Tamil devotional religious hymns attributed to the female poet-saint Andal (also known as Nachiyar, Kodhai or Goda Devi). She is considered the manifestation of Bhudevi, who ha ...

into Telugu Keertanaas. Other translations of Tiruppavai are available - but they are all word for word. His translation is unique because he had taken the central idea of each Pasuram, made it into Pallavi and wove around it the rest of the paasuram into anupallavi and charanam(s). They were set to pure

carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

, even as they were composed, by Amruthavalli Sundaram. The publication with notation, is Orient Longman. He died on 24 February 1980.

Literary works

Some of Krishnasastri's famous works include : *''Amrutha Veena'' (1992) *''Appude Putti Vunte'' *''Aruna Ratham'' *''Badarika'' *''Bahukaala Darshanam'' *''Dhanurdasu'' *''Gorinta'' *''Mangala Kahali'' *''Sri Vidyapathi'' *''Krishnapaksham - Urvashi pravasam'' *''Sharmishta'' *''Vyaasavali - Kavi parampara'' *''Sri Andallu Tiruppavu Kirtanalu'' (1993) * ''Meghamala'' (1996) *''Krishna Paksham'' (The Darkening Fortnight), *''Pravasam'' (Alien Residence), *''Mahati'' (The

Veena The ''veena'', also spelled ''vina'' ( sa, वीणा IAST: vīṇā), comprises various chordophone instruments from the Indian subcontinent. Ancient musical instruments evolved into many variations, such as lutes, zithers and arched harps.< ...

Narada Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...

), *''Urvasi''.

Films

Krishnasastri entered the film industry by scripting the 1951 Telugu film '' Malliswari''. He gave lyrics to about 160 songs in over 70 films during the 1950s to 1970s. They include '' Malleswari'', ''

Naa Illu ''Naa Illu'' ( en, italic=yes, My Home) is a 1953 Telugu-language film produced and directed by V. Nagayya. The story was written by Devulapalli Krishnasastri. The film had two dance sequences and full-length Hindi songs sung by Meena Kapoor. ...

'', ''

En Veedu ''Naa Illu'' ( en, italic=yes, My Home) is a 1953 Telugu-language film produced and directed by V. Nagayya. The story was written by Devulapalli Krishnasastri. The film had two dance sequences and full-length Hindi songs sung by Meena Kapoor. ...

'', ''

Bangaru Papa ''Bangaru Papa'' () is a 1955 Indian Telugu-language film produced and directed by B. N. Reddy on Vauhini Productions banner. The film stars S. V. Ranga Rao, Jaggayya, Krishna Kumari, Jamuna. It is based on the 1861 English novel '' Silas ...

'', ''

Ekaveera Ekaveera ( Telugu: ఏకవీర) is an Indian novel written by Kavi Samrat Viswanatha Satyanarayana in Telugu language. It was penned between 1929–31 and was published in Bharathi magazine in 1935. Originally written in Telugu, it has sin ...

'', ''

Bhagya Rekha ''Bhagya Rekha'' () is a 1957 Indian Telugu-language drama film, produced by Ponnaluri Brothers under the Ponnaluri Brothers Pvt. Ltd. banner and directed by B. N. Reddy. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Jamuna and music composed by Pendyala Nageswar ...

'' (1957), ''

Rakta Kanneeru ''Raktha Kanneeru'' () is a 2003 Indian Kannada-language film directed by Sadhu Kokila, starring Upendra and Ramya Krishna. The film was produced by Munirathna and was later dubbed in Telugu. The screenplay and dialogues of the film were writ ...

'', ''

Bhakta Tukaram ''Bhakta Tukaram'' is a 1973 Indian Telugu-language biographical film based on the life of the saint-poet Tukaram, produced by P. Adinarayana Rao under the Anjali Pictures banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara ...

'', ''

Karthika Deepam Kartika Deepam () is a festival of lights that is observed mainly by Hindu Tamils, and also by adherents in the regions of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Sri Lanka. Celebrated in Tamilakam since the ancient period, the festi ...

'', '' Gorintaku'', '' Megha Sandesam'', ''

Sri Rama Pattabhishekam ''Sri Rama Pattabhishekam'' () is a 1978 Indian Telugu language, Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed and produced by N. T. Rama Rao under Ramakrishna Cine Studios banner. Based on the ''Ramayana'', the film stars Rama Rao, Jamuna ( ...

''.

Awards

;

Nandi Awards The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named after ...

(in

) * Best Lyricist - ''

Seetamalakshmi ''Seetamalakshmi'' is a 1978 Indian Telugu-language film written and directed by K. Viswanath. The film stars Talluri Rameswari (in her Telugu debut) and Chandra Mohan. It was released on 27 July 1978. It won two state Nandi Awards and a Filmf ...

'' (1978) * Best Lyricist - ''

Meghasandesam ''Meghasandesam'' () is a 1982 Telugu-language drama film, produced and directed by Dasari Narayana Rao under his Taraka Prabhu Films banner. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Jaya Prada, Jayasudha and music composed by Ramesh Naidu. This film i ...

'' (1982) ;Other Awards *

Andhra University Andhra University (IAST: ''Āndhra Vișvakalāpariṣhat'') is a public university located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established in 1926. History King Vikram Deo Verma, the Maharaja of Jeypore was one of the biggest do ...

has conferred the title ''

Kala Prapoorna Andhra University (IAST: ''Āndhra Vișvakalāpariṣhat'') is a public university located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established in 1926. History King Vikram Deo Verma, the Maharaja of Jeypore was one of the biggest don ...

'' (The complete artist) on him in 1975. * He was awarded the

Sahitya Akademi The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India. Founded on 12 March 1954, it is supported by, though independent of, the Indian government. Its of ...

Award. * Krishnashastri also won the

Award in the year 1976.

References

External links

*
Krishnasastriyam
is a novel musical interpretation of some songs written by Sri Krishnasastri. Excerpts available at the linked site. * . {{DEFAULTSORT:Krishnasastri, Devulapalli 1890s births 1980 deaths Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Telugu Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education Telugu-language lyricists Telugu poets Hindu poets People from East Godavari district Indian male poets 20th-century Indian poets Poets from Andhra Pradesh 20th-century Indian male writers Tamil–Telugu translators