Early life and career
Kotiganahalli Ramaiah was born in the village of Kotiganahalli in Kolar district, Karnataka. He quit college, before completing a degree, to join the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, a political group that spearheaded the struggle against caste discrimination and fought to acquire land rights for the former untouchables castes in Karnataka. He rose to be an instrumental figure in the Dalit movement where his contribution is most remembered for the numerous songs of resistance and struggles penned by him, some of which were adapted from the political climate of the left movement in Andhra Pradesh, particularly those by the revolutionary poetFounding of Aadima
Disillusioned with what he perceived as a lack of direction within the Dalit movement, as well as the rapid erasure of the inclusive foundations of the modern Indian state, Ramaiah and a few others within the movement envisioned a broad-based cultural response to address the roots of social exclusion in India. They saved a rupee a day for many years towards the establishment of Aadima, an experimental space that aims to temper the overarching need for political modernity with an understanding of the history of cultural resistance and the philosophical meaning systems that evolved as a response to centuries of marginalisation. Aadima was founded in 2005, adjoining Shivagange Village on the Anthargange Hill Range. Since then, Aadima has been researching and documenting oral traditions and narratives, creating plays and films and, experimenting in educational pedagogy with numerous communities that live in the Anthargange Hill Range. Aadima also plays host to Hunimme Haadu, an event on full moon nights that features plays from across Karnataka.Awards
Karnataka Sahitya Akademy Award – 2012Plays
*''Kaage Kannu Irve Bala'' *''Nayi Thippa'' *''Ratnapaksi'' *''Kannaspatre Quenalli Jagadambe'' *''Hakki Hadu'' *''Vogatina Rani'' *''Sum Sumke'' *''Darb Bar Buddanna'' *''Marjina Mattu Nalavattu Jana Kallaru'' *''Kattale Rajya''Published works
*''Kaage Kannu Irve Bala'' (2012) *''No Alphabet in Sight: New Dalit Writing from South India'', Dossier 2 – Editors – Susie Tharu and K. Satyanarayana (Forthcoming 2012) *''Sindh Madigara Samskruti'' (1993)References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramaiah, Kotiganahalli 1954 births Living people Indian male poets Aam Aadmi Party candidates in the 2014 Indian general election Dalit writers 21st-century Indian politicians Poets from Karnataka Indian male dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Indian philosophers Dramatists and playwrights from Karnataka Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2005