Venkataraja Puninchathaya

Pundur Venkataraja Puninchathaya (10 October 1936 – 13 September 2012), also known as P. V. Puninchathaya, was a scholar, teacher, author, and researcher of the Tulu language and literature.^[1]

Venkataraja Puninchathaya
Born	(1936-10-10)10 October 1936 Kasaragod, Kerala State
Died	13 September 2012(2012-09-13) (aged 75)
Occupation	Teacher
Academic background
Education	Vidwan in Sanskrit (Bachelor's Degree Equivalent), Postgraduate
Alma mater	University of Mysore
Academic work
Discipline	Scholar, linguist, artist
Sub-discipline	Manuscriptologist, researcher, poet, playwright, actor
Institutions	Swamiji's High School Edneer, Kasaragod Taluk; later Kerala Tulu Academy
Main interests	Tulu Language, Yakshagana
Website	puninchathaya.com/index.html

Early life and education

Venkataraja Puninchathaya was born on October 10, 1936, to Damodar Puninchathaya and Saraswathi Amma in Punduru, Kasaragod District, Kerala, India. He studied the languages Tulu, Kannada, and Sanskrit, and completed his schooling with the objective of becoming a Vidwan. He later pursued his postgraduate education at the University of Mysore, Karnataka.

Career

Puninchathaya began his career as a teacher at Swamiji's High School in Edneer, Kasaragod Taluk. He researched the Tulu language, Tulu script,^[2] Sanskrit manuscripts, and folklore. His work in calligraphy led to the discovery and publication of Tulu epic poems, such as Shree Bhagavathi, Kaveri, Tulu Devi Mahatme, Tulu Mahabharatha, and Tulu Karna Parva.^[3] Puninchathaya was the founding president of the Kerala Tulu Academy from 2008 to 2012.^[4] He was a Yakshagana artist, primarily in Arthadhari (character portrayal), and portrayed female roles in Talamaddale, a form of Yakshagana.^[5]

Awards and recognition

• National Award for Outstanding Professor in 1991^{[citation needed]}

• Sandesh Media Award in 1997, Kayyar Award in 1998
• Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy Award in 1999
• Bevinje Sridhara Kakkillaya Award in 1999
• Parasurama Award in 2002
• Karnataka Sriprashasti in 2003
• Polali Sheenappa Hegade Award in 2004
• Ananta Prakash Award
• Mr. Award of Page
• Keerikadu Master Award
• Kukkila Award in 2006
• Best Research Dravidian VV Kuppam Award
• Deraje Award in 2007
• Mangalore University awarded an honorary doctorate in 2007^[6][7]