Venkatesh Srinivas Kulkarni (1945 – May 3, 1998) was an Indian-American
novelist and academic.
Early life and education
Kulkarni was born in India and graduated from university at age 17. He was originally scheduled to go to medical school, but the admissions counselors at the institution asked him to come back when he was older.
[Feldman, Margaret. "Life and death - Graduation was important to Silas Kulkarni but not as important as his dad." '' Houston Chronicle''. June 7, 1998. Lifestyle p. 1. Newsbank Record Number: 3060644. Available from the Houston Public Library.] Kulkarni graduated with a master's degree from
Osmania University at the age of 19.
He undertook further studies at
Cambridge University, the
University of Moscow, the
University of Heidelberg, the
Sorbonne, and
Tulane University.
Career
Kulkarni became a
Rotary International
Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through hefellowship of business, prof ...
fellow and came to the United States. A member of the
U.S. Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is a body consisting of the vice president of the United States and the heads of the executive branch's departments in the federal government of the United States. It is the principal official advisory body to ...
asked Kulkarni to apply for U.S. citizenship.
[
His first novel, '' Naked in Deccan'' (1983), won the 1984 American Book Award of the Before Columbus Foundation and was listed among the top ten novels of the decade by the '' Chicago Tribune''.]caste system
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...
and has no heroes or villains. Human beings demonstrate weaknesses and passions; some demonstrate moral strength and some do not.
For twelve years until his death, Kulkarni taught creative writing at Rice University in Houston. Kulkarni's students included Kathi Appelt
Kathi Appelt (born July 6, 1954) is an American author of more than forty books for Children's literature, children and Young adult fiction, young adults. She won the annual PEN Center USA, PEN USA award for Children's Literature recognizing ''T ...
and John Odam.
Death and legacy
In 1997, he had a late diagnosis of leukemia and despite prolonged treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, died on May 3, 1998. He was survived by his wife, Margaret, and four children:[
He left two unfinished books, ''Allah Baksh - The Man Eaten By God'', and ''The Modern American Apollo''.
A Teaching Prize has been named for him by Rice University.]
Awards
* 1984 American Book Award for ''Naked in Deccan''
Family
His son, Sri Preston Kulkarni, was the Democratic candidate for Texas's 22nd congressional district
Texas's 22nd congressional district of the United States House of Representatives covers a largely suburban south-central portion of the metropolitan area. The district includes the majority of Fort Bend County, including most of the cities of ...
in the United States House of Representatives in 2018 and 2020.
Works
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kulkarni, Venkatesh Srinivas
20th-century American novelists
American male novelists
Writers from Hyderabad, India
1945 births
1998 deaths
Osmania University alumni
American Book Award winners
20th-century American male writers
Novelists from Texas