Writer, Palakala Seetharam Bhat, passes on

Writer, Palakala Seetharam Bhat, passes on

Mangalore Today News Network

Sep 26, 2017: Writer of children’s books Palakala Seetharam Bhat died at his residence in Puttige near Moodbidri on Sept 25, Monday. He was 86. He is survived by his wife, five sons and a daughter.

A recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award, he served as a primary school teacher for 14 years and later as a teacher in Jain High School in Moodbidri for 23 years till his retirement in 1988.

P S  Bhat started writing for children inspired by the works of Panje Mangesh Rao. He founded the “Shishu Sahitya Male” in 1954, which has brought out more than 100 books for children. His works have been published by Bala Sahitya Mandal, Yuga Purush, Nava Karnataka, Bharathi Sahitya Bhadar, and Nirmal Prakashan.

He presided over a session on children’s literature at the All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelan in Hassan in 1996. He won the literary prize in 1955 instituted by the then Madras government, the Rajarathnam Endowment Prize instituted by the Kannada Sahitya Parishat in 1983, the Bala Shikshan Parishat Prashasthi in 1984, the Karnataka State Sahitya Academy award in 1999, and the Shivaram Karanth Award in 2002.

Karnataka Sangh, Shivamogga, honoured him by presenting the Children’s Literary Award for 2004.  He wrote 25 dramas, 58 collection of stories, 35 poems, and several other works for children.  He also founded the ’Palakala Foundation’ for the welfare of poor children.