Dalit poet Dr Siddalingiah conferred with Padma Shri posthumously
Known for his humour and hard-hitting poetry, Siddalingaiah, was member of Karnataka’s legislative council twice.
Noted poet and Dalit rights activist who used his poetry to raise issues of social injustices, Dr Siddalingaiah, was conferred the Padma Shri.
The award was conferred posthumously. The poet had died in June last year after he contracted Covid- 19. He was 67.
Known for his humour and hard-hitting poetry, Siddalingaiah, was member of Karnataka’s legislative council twice.
His poem, Yarige Banthu, ellige bantu, nalvathayelara swatantrya (who got, where did it come, (19)47’s Independence), propelled him as one of the leading voices of the movement, converting the song into an anthem which is used even now in protests and other rallies of backward communities. The poet was one of the most prominent voices for social justice and was one of the co-founders of the Dalit Sangharsha Samithi.
“Posthumous Padma Shri honour for people’s poet S Siddalingaiah in the field of literature and education,” Basavaraj Bommai, the chief minister of Karnataka said in a post on Twitter.
“The Padma Shri award has been awarded posthumously to noted literature personality, Dalit poet for his outstanding service. It is a matter of pride for the entire state that he was conferred this award for all his achievements,” BS Yediyurappa, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
In his condolence message last year, Yediyurappa had said that Siddalingaiah narrated the pain of Dalits through his writings and awakened them. He endured the pain and his poems set the required blaze to the Dalit movement, he had said.