Gangadhar Vithoba Chittal (1923–1987) was a Kannada poet and recipient of Karnataka

Sahitya Academy 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. He was the elder brother of Kannada writer

Yashwant Vithoba Chittal Yashwant Vithoba Chittal ( kn, ಯಶವಂತ ವಿಠೇೂಬಾ ಚಿತ್ತಾಲ) (3 August 1928 – 22 March 2014) was a Kannada fiction writer. G. S. Amur said: "His short stories, many of them were outstanding, and came with hi ...

.He held several administrative positions for the Government of India and audited several Indian Embassies and Consulates. During the

Quit India The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in ...

struggle (1942), Chittal amongst several others was debarred from his college due to his participation in the Quit India movement. Born in Hanehalli's Chittal Family, Gangadhar Chittal completed primary education in his hometown and Matriculation (S.S.C.) from

Gibbs High School, Kumta Gibb High School, Kumta, is an independent secondary school in Karnataka, India. History It is one of the oldest high schools in Uttar Kannada district. The school was established on 4 June 1908. It was initially named New English School, Kumta ...

in 1940 and stood first in the Presidency of Bombay. His achievement was all the more commendable since the then Presidency of Bombay included current states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, part of Karnataka and part of Madhya Pradesh. For his achievement Chittal was honored at Karnatak College Dharwar where he completed his initial studies and then went to Willingdon college, Sangli to major in English literature. At Willingdon S. R. Ekkundi was Chittal's classmate and V. K. Gokak and R. S. Mugali were his professors. After graduating from Sangli, Chittal joined the Indian Audit and Account Service in 1948. Initially he worked as Assistant Accountant General in Bombay and then moved to Washington D.C. as Deputy Director of Audit. After completion of his stint in Washington D. C., he was transferred to New Delhi as Deputy Secretary in Irrigation and Power Ministry and then as Comptroller and Auditor General in New Delhi. Subsequently, he moved to London as Director of audits. He retired as director of audits, at western railways, in Bombay. In 1983, he was honored by the Karnataka Sahitya Academy (Karnatak State Literary Society) for his contributions to Kannada Literature. At an early age Chittal was afflicted with Parkinson's disease which curtailed his gifted and exceptional literary career. He succumbed to the disease at the age of 63.

Selected books

* Kaalad Kare * Manu Kulad Haadu * Hariva Neeridu * Samparka * Samagra Kavya

References

Kannada poets Konkani 1923 births 1987 deaths People from Uttara Kannada 20th-century Indian poets Indian male poets Poets from Karnataka 20th-century Indian male writers {{india-writer-stub