Sumathendra Raghavendra Nadig (born 1935) is an Indian professor and writer.
Nadig came upon the literary scene as a prominent modern poet in the 1960s. He was a close associate of Gopalakrishna Adiga, the leader of the modernist movement.
Nadig's "Dampatya Gita" has been translated into English, Hindi, Bengali and other Indian languages. His other major poem, "Panchabhut", is considered to be an important and original contribution to modern Indian literature. His poetic achievement has been acknowledged by great poets including Gopalakrishna Adiga, Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar, Ayyappa Panikar, Sitanshu Yashaschandra, Manohar Rai Sardesai, and G. S. Shivrudrappa; writers including S. L. Bhyrappa and U. R. Anantha Murthy; and scholars including Kapila Vatsyayan and Sibnarayan Ray.
Nadig has two master's degrees in English, one from Mysore University and the other from Temple University (US). He also received a PhD in Kannada from Bangalore University and an honorary doctorate, "Shabda Marthand", from Gurukul Kangri University, Hardwar.
He has received many awards, including the Karnataka Rajyothsava Prashsti, Dinakara Pratisthana Prashasti, V. M. Inamdar Prashsti, and M.V.Si. Puraskara.
He was the Chairman of National Book Trust from 1996 to 1999.
He is well known for his critical studies of Bendre, K.S. Narasimha Swamy and Adiga, and short stories and nursery rhymes, and translations from Bengali to Kannada, and from Kannada to English. He knows Kannada, English, Hindi, Marathi, Konkani, and Bengali.
"Poetry makes strange things happen. I reach the society in me, and the society meets me in my poetry."
— Sumatheendra Nadig
Sumatheendra Nadig is married to Malathi and has three children, Swapna, Rashmi and Apoorva. He currently resides in Bangalore.
Kempe Gowda Award, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara
Palike, July 2007
Sri Krishna Prashasti, conferred by Sri Sri Pejawara
Viswesha Tirtha Swamiji, June 2007
Vijayeendra Puraskara, conferred by Sri Sri
Sushameendra Teertha Swamiji, July 2007
Niranjana Prashasti, 2006
Aryabhata Award, 2005
Visweswariah Sahitya Prashasti, 2005
M.Vi.See, Sahitya Puraskar, 2004
Sahitya Siri Award, Chickmagalur Jilla Sahitya Parishat, 2002
UGC Emeritus Fellow, March 2000 – 2002
Chairman, National Book Trust, India, October 1996 – October 1999
Award for Translation–Karnataka Sahitya Akademi, 1999
Awarded 'Vidya Marthanda' honorary degree: Gurukul
Kangri University, 1997, Haridwar, delivered the convocation address
V.M. Inamdar Vimarsha Prashasti, 1995
Rajyotsava Award – Govt. of Karnataka, 1995
Award for translation – Karnataka Sahitya Akademi, 1994
Sahitya Akademi Travel Grant, 1991
Dinakar Pratishthana Award, 1990
U.G.C. Short Term Research Grant, 1998
Award for Translation–Karnataka Sahitya Akademi, 1997
Best Fiction Award – ‘Sudha’ Novel Competition, 1997
Academic and professional experience
Visiting Professor, Viswa-Bharati, Shantiniketan, October–December 1997
Visiting Fellow, Jadhavpur University, Calcuta, November 1991 – March 1992
Reader in English, Bangalore University, 1989–95
Senior Executive, Bappco Publication, Bangalore 1975–80
Part-time faculty of the Department of English, Temple University, Philadelphia, 1972–74
Instructor in English, Haverford College, Haverford, 1973
Professor and Head of the Department of English, St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, Goa, 1965–197
Visiting Professor, Bombay University Post-Graduate Centre, Panjim, Goa, 1965–1971.
Lecturer in English at Margo, Bombay and Belgaum, 1957–65.
Jada Mattu Chetana, 2005
Pancha Bhootagalu, 2000
Samagra Kavya, 1998
Nataraja Kanda Kamanabillu, 1994
Kuhoo Gita, 1992.
Tamashe Padyagalu, 1992, 1998
Dampatya Gita, 1987 (translated into Sanskrit, English, Bengali, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Marathi)
Bhava Loka, 1983
Udghatane, 1978
Kappu Devate, 1970
Nimma Premakumariya Jataka, 1964
Mounadaacheya Maatu, 2007
Nalkaneya Sahitya Charitre, 2005
Mattondu Sahitya Charitre, 2002, 2004
Bendreyavara Kavyada Vibhinna Nelegalu, 1989, 1998
Adigaru Mattu Navyakavya, 1968, 75, 98, 2006 (reserved)
Innondu Sahitya Charitre, 1999
Heegondu Sahitya Charitre, 1995
Vimarsheya Dariyalli, 1994
Kavya Endarenu, 1994
Dakkanakka Dakkana, 2005
Dhruva Mattu Prahlada, 2003
Didilak Didilak, 2002
Goobeya Kathe, 2000, 2003
Ili Maduve, 1999
Galipata, 1999, 2004
Sahasa (a novel), serialised in 1978, in book form 1979, 1998
Hannondu Hamsagalu (a play), 1987
Sthithaprajna, 1996
Aayda Kathegalu, 1992 (textbook for B.A., BSc and B.Com. students of Bangalore University 1992–1993)
Gili Mattu Dumbi, 1985
Karkotaka, 1975, 1998
Some of his stories have been translated into Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Oriya and English.
From English to Kannada:
Radhanath Ray, 1991 – Sahitya Akademi
Sindhi Sahitya Charitre, 1981 – Sahitya Akademi
Dickens 'Hard Times', 1981 (with Venugopala Soraba)
Aristophane's 'Birds', 1990
Ruskin's 'Unto The Last', 1979
Strindberg's 'Miss Julie', 1979
Ionesco's 'Bokka Taleya Nartaki', 1974
From Bengali to Kannada:
Tagore's 'Tin Sangi', 1998
Nirendranath Chakravarthi's 'Ulang Raja', 1996
Poems from Bengal, 2002
Selected poems of Gopalaksirhna Adiga; Sahitya Akademi, 2005
Veerappa Moily's novel 'On to the Great Beyond', 2003
The Buddha Smile with P. Sreenivas Rao
A House of Thousand Doors
Poems of G. S. Shivarudrappa
20th Century Kannada Poetry with an introduction by Nissim Ezekiel
Selected Kannada Short Stories and Jnanapeeth Laureatres of Karnataka (with L. S. Seshagiri Rao)
Roots and Wings (Poems of P. Sreenivasa Rao), 2007
Complete works of P. Sreenivasa Rao, 2002
Critical Studies of S. L. Bhyrappa's Works, 2002
