Thursday, December 25, 2025

ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆ ಪರಿಚಯ


 

ಡಾ. ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆ : ಸಂಕ್ಷಿಪ್ತ ಪರಿಚಯ:

ಡಾ.ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆಯವರು ( ಜನನ ೧೯೫೫)   ಮೂಲತ: ಸುಳ್ಯ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ಪಂಜದವರು. ಪುತ್ತೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಪದವಿ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಪಡೆದ ಅವರು, 1979ರಲ್ಲಿ ಮದರಾಸು ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದಿಂದ ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಚಿನ್ನದ ಪದಕದೊಂದಿಗೆ  ಎಂ ಎ. ಪದವಿಯನ್ನೂ ಪಡೆದರು.  1984ರಲ್ಲಿ ಮಂಗಳೂರು ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದಿಂದ ಪಿಎಚ್‌.ಡಿ ಪದವಿ ಪಡೆದ ಅವರು ಮುಂದೆ, ಹಂಪಿಯ ಕನ್ನಡ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಧ್ಯಾಪಕರಾಗಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿ, 1998ರಲ್ಲಿ ದೆಹಲಿಯ ಅಮೆರಿಕನ್ ಇನ್ಸ್ಟಿಟ್ಯೂಟ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯನ್‌ ಸ್ಟಡೀಸ್‌ನ   ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕರಾಗಿ ಸೇರಿದರು. ೨೦೧೫ರಿಂದ  ದೆಹಲಿಯ ಜೆ ಎನ್‌ ಯುವಿನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಪೀಠದ ಮುಖ್ಯಸ್ಥರಾಗಿ ನೇಮಕಗೊಂಡು, ೨೦೨೦ರಲ್ಲಿ ವೃತ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ನಿವೃತ್ತರಾದರು. ಇದುವರೆಗೆ ೩೦ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿರುವ ಅವರ  ಆತ್ಮ ಚರಿತ್ರೆಯ ಹೆಸರು ʼ ಕಾಗೆ ಮುಟ್ಟಿದ ನೀರುʼ ಇದೀಗ ಐದು ಆವೃತ್ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಕಂಡಿದೆ.  ವಿಶ್ವದ ಅನೇಕ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆಯವರು ಭಾರತೀಯ ಜಾನಪದ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಉಪನ್ಯಾಸಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆಯವರು ಸ್ವತ: ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ ಕಲಾವಿದರೂ ಹೌದು.  ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಜಾನಪದ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿ , ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿಗಳ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ದೊರಕಿದೆ. ೨೦೧೧ರಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸರಕಾರವು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಿತ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ನೀಡಿ ಗೌರವಿಸಿದೆ.  ಡಾ. ಬಿಳಿಮಲೆಯವರು ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರದ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷರಾಗಿ, ಕನ್ನಡ ಭಾಷೆಯ ಸಬಲೀಕರಣಕ್ಕೆ ದುಡಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

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Dr. Purushottam Bilimale: Brief Introduction:

Dr. Purushottam Bilimale (born 1955) is originally from Panja in Sullia taluk. He did his graduation in Puttur and obtained his M.A. degree with a gold medal in Kannada from Madras University in 1979. He received  his Ph.D. from Mangalore University in 1984. He later worked as a professor at Kannada University, Hampi and joined the American Institute of Indian Studies, Delhi in 1998. Then he was appointed as the Head of the Kannada Chair at  at JNU, Delhi from 2015 and retired from the profession in 2020. He has published 30 books so far and his autobiography, 'Kage Muttida Neeru', has now seen five editions. Bilimale has delivered lectures on Indian folklore and literature at many universities around the world.

Dr. Bilimale is also a Yakshagana artist. He has received awards from the Karnataka Janapada Academy and Sahitya Akademi. In 2011, the Karnataka government honoured him with the prestigious Rajyotsava Award. Dr. Bilimale is currently working for the empowerment of the Kannada language as the Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority  Government of Karnataka 

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Prof. Purushothama Bilimale

Short Profile

 

Current Position:



 

Formerly:

Prof. Purushothama Bilimale Former Professor of Kannada

School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies

Jawaharlal Nehru University

New Delhi-110067

 

Permanent Address:

 

6098/8, Santhushti Apartments,

Sector-D, Pocket-6,

Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110 070,

Phone: 011-26134345, 9811733378

Email: pbilimale@gmail.com

 

Area of Specialization:

 

Language, Literature and Culture Studies, Literary Criticism, Indian Folklore, Tulu studies, and Yakshagana.

Profile:

 

Dr. Purushothama Bilimale (August 21, 1955) has served for many years as Professor of Kannada at the Kannada University, Hampi, Karnataka and then as a Director (Programs) at the American Institute of Indian studies,NewDelhi.HehasretiredasaProfessorofKannadaattheCentre of Indian Languages, School of Language, literature and Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi during2020. Currently he is heading Kannada Program of the American Instituter of Indian Studies, New Delhi.

 

Prof. Bilimale is a teacher, writer, columnist, and consultant who helped students and researchers for over forty years. He has edited and revised publications that include reports, theses, dissertations, textbooks, proposals, essays, stories, and articles. He has led writing and editing workshops for students and teachers.

 

 

As a professor at the Kannada Language Chair, JNU, he has promoted excellence in teaching, researching and publishingon language, literature and culture of Karnataka in all its multilingual and plural manifestations. The Chair encouraged comparative studies across a wide range of domains and also aims at disseminating knowledge of Kannada language, literature and culture both at National and International levels. The Chair has taken translation projects with the objective of rendering into English a whole gamut of classical and non-classicalKannada textsof seminal nature. He is also working for empowering minor languages including Tulu and Kodava through publishing papers, organizing seminars and workshops.

 

AsaDirector(Programs),hecoordinatedAIISLanguageProgramsbetween 2008-2015. He taught Kannada for Summer Language students and Academicyearstudentsduring2020&2021.Healsodevelopedawebsite for Kannada Language learning ( www.kannadakalike.org) though which anyone can learn Kannada up to the intermediate level. As a scholar, Prof. Bilimale has published 27 books and 80 articles on range of disciplines, including literature, folklore and culturalstudies.

 

Prof. Bilimale hasdelivered lectures in most of the prestigious Universities including Tokyo, Colombia, Hebrew, Chicago, Hawaii and Texas. He has published 29 books and 75 articles both in Kannada and English. The recent book ‘Crow Touched Water’ has received Karnataka Sahithya Academy award. 

 

Prof. Purushothama Bilimale has received many prestigious awards such as Karnataka State award and Folklore academy. He was also received Japan Foundation Award during 2008 and Council of American Overseas Research Council grant ( CAORC) during 2014.

 

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Friday, August 21, 2020

Crow-Touched water

Appreciations from JNU on Kannada Language Chair

 ಕಳೆದ ಐದು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಜೆ ಎನ್ ಯುವಿನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಪೀಠವು ಕ್ಯಾಂಪಸ್ಸಿನ ಎಲ್ಲರ ಗಮನ ಸೆಳೆದಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಈ ಕೆಳಗಿನ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು ತಿಳಿಸುತ್ತವೆ. ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಾದ ನಾವು ಹೆಮ್ಮೆ ಪಡೋಣ.

I wanted to take the time to thank you for all your work. I found in you an excellent and understanding teacher who went over and above in catering the class to my needs. Every hour I spent felt extremely well used! I was particularly impressed with how much the language class was catered to my particular research interests and questions with presentations on relevant areas, area-specific vocabulary, and more. I am fully certain that you will be deeply missed by your students at JNU ( Aman Banerji, Department of Development Sociology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences- Cornell University).

Amazing achievements in such a short period, that too a lot of it in very difficult times for the university. You became a part of the true JNU spirit, including that of protest against injustice, almost immediately. The university community will miss you sorely (Prof. Aditya and Mridula Mukharjee, Centre for historical Studies, JNU).

As a colleague myself learned a lot from your association in Centre. During this period, you not only well established the Kannada Chair but also organised so many literary and cultural programmes. You always shared your real motivational ideas for the betterment of the academia. ( Ajmer Singh Kajal, Professor of Hindi, JNU).

You have done great service to the Kannada Chair you held for the last few years. We are proud of your contributions to the Kannada Studies and the overall contribution to the community life in the Campus. I thank you for being a part of this community and would remember you always. ( Ajay Kumar Patnaik, Professor, Centre for Russian Studies and School of International Studies, JNU).

Many thanks for the contribution you have made towards enriching the academic atmosphere at JNU both through your scholarly work as also through your active participation in various activities. I am sure you shall continue to enrich the India that we want it to become through your scholarly and activist pursuits.( Dr Vikas Bajpai, Assistant Professor, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU ).

It has been a short but brilliant career as Kannada chair. You brought a brightness and visibility to the language and region. And you brought together many great minds for events and showcased the culture very admirably. Wish we had people with such energy and verve in Karnataka itself....! . Yours will be a hard act to follow ( Prf. Janaki Nair, Centre for Historical studies, JNU).

I have wonderful memories as we shared the corridor. ( Sharad Baviskar, Assistant Professor, Centre for French and Francophone Studies, JNU).

Though we didn't personally interact much, I am aware of your intellectual contribution to JNU ( Nivedita Menon, professor , Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory, School of International Studies, JNU).

Wishing you the very best in your future endeavors! A person like you is indeed gifted with extraordinary strength and vigor, which i had the privilege to witness at the times we worked together. You have indeed given the Kannada chair a new vision and dimension to be carried forward. Your deep understanding of the dance, music and visual presentations of not only your state but of all, made us enjoy the deepness of arts and aesthetics. ( Prof. Meeta Narain, Centre of Russian Studies, JNU)

Your presence was vital in JNU, and happened at a time when we needed a scholar like you to give the right kind of direction to the study of Indian languages. You will be missed by all of us (Prof. G Arunima, Professor, Centre for Women's Studies, JNU)

You contributed to the best traditions of JNU and will be missed. ( Dr. Ravi Srivastava, Professor, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, JNU).

It was a pleasure knowing you. I deeply admire your scholarship. But I will never forget the cultural event you produced that awakened me to deep Shaivite- Islamic linkages in North Karnataka, that Manu Devadevan has brought forth in his wonderful book. What a loss to JNU that you are leaving. But perhaps it is good you are leaving this JNU ( Prof. Mohan Rao, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU)

Let me put on record that your contribution not only as the Kannada Chair but also as an active colleague who took a lot of interest in almost all kinds of activities on the campus has been extraordinary. I didn't have too many occasions to interact with you, but your contributions to the promotion of Kannada language, literature, and culture would remain etched in the history of JNU for all times to come. While we will miss you in the coming months, I join the entire fraternity of teachers and students to wish you all the very best in the coming times. Of course, your dedication and interests would continue to benefit as an academic like you never retire ( Prf. Sachidanand Sinha, Professor of Geography, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, JNU).

What you have managed to accomplish in spite of the times, is awesome. A privilege working with you. I retire end-November and I hope to have achieved in my forty odd years here what you have in four (Prof. GJV Prasad, Centre of English Studies, JNU ).

It is disheartening to know that you have superannuated and will be leaving soon.
Though, you had been a little over four years in JNU yet the ethos & ethics you epitomized is exemplary even to people like us who have spent over four decades here. JNU was fortunate to have you as the first Prof. Kanada language ( Prof. Balbir Singh Butola, centre for the study of regional development JNU)

JNU was good as long as you were around ( Prof. Indrani Mukherjee, Centre of Spanish,Portuguese, Italian & Latin American Studies, JNU )

I could not believe that you were in JNU only for 4 years the way you reflected the critical component in understanding various aspects of human and social life ( Prof. Narendra Kumar, Centre for Political Studies, JNU)

Your presence seems much longer than it has been because of the impact you made( Prpf. Sadhana Naithani, Centre for German Studies, JNU)

It is, indeed, a phenomenal work. You laid a formidable foundation for the Chair. Many congratulations. Wish JNU had extended your tenure as per rules. However, that did not happen. Loss to JNU Kannada Chair and Kannada fraternity. ( Prof. Venkatachala Hegde, Professor of International Law, JNU)

I highly regard you as an excellent academician, humanitarian and your contribution in tremendous works i.e. language, culture, folklore & different types of literary research. We will really miss you in the centre. ( Prof. Ramachandra, Hindi Professor, JNU)
You have completed your tenure as an efficient Professor of the Kannada Chair. Your leadership and management skill inspired me a lot to go ahead and do more for the Odia chair. ( Prof Udayanath Sahoo, Odia Chair, JNU).

I find it very difficult to say you good bye. I can't. In a very short span, you became so popular and a source of inspiration for the colleagues in the centre. Your hard work to bring Kannada Language, literature and culture in to the mainstream of JNU will always be remembered. (Prof. Anwar Alam, Urdu Professor, JNU )