Devanur Mahadeva


Devanoora Mahadeva is an Indian writer and an intellectual, who writes in Kannada language. The Government of India conferred upon him the Padma Shri award, the fourth highest civilian award.
Known among literary circles to be a rebel, Mahadeva rejected to chair the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana twice and the Nrupatunga Award in 2010, citing his dissatisfaction that despite being the state's official language, Kannada is yet to be made the primary language of instruction in schools and colleges. He wants Kannada to be made the medium of learning at least up to the college level. Mahadeva is a Central Sahitya Academy awardee for his novel Kusuma Baale. In the 1990s he rejected the government's offer to nominate him to Rajya Sabha under the writer's quota. In 2022, he published a book on the RSS that gained popularity and critical acclaim both for its content and its innovative open publishing model.

Personal life

Mahadeva was born in 1948 in Devanuru village in Nanjanagudu Taluk, Mysore district of the Karnataka state, India, He worked at CIIL in Mysore.

Literary contributions

  • Dyavanooru
  • Odalaala
  • Kusuma Baale
  • Edege Bidda Akshara
  • Devanura Mahadeva Avara Krithigalu
  • RSS: Aaala mattu agala

Awards and recognitions

Devanooru's awards and accolades include: