American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (1984) Winner
Venkatesh Kulkarni
ヴェンカテーシュ・クルカルニ
Venkatesh Kulkarni
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- India (place of birth unknown)
- Died
- 1998-05-28 （United States (near Houston, exact location unknown)）
- Nationality
- India, United States
- Languages
- English, Telugu
- Residence History
- India (early life, details unknown) → United States, Houston (academic career)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Short story writer, University professor
- Active Years
- 1970-1998
- Affiliations
- Rice University (faculty)
- Influenced By
- Mohandas K. Gandhi (philosophical influence), Ignazio Silone (literary comparison)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | American Book Award | Naked in Deccan | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
American Book Award
1984
Work:
Naked in Deccan
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Naked in Deccan
1983 NovelSet in the Deccan region of southern India, the novel examines the social order of the Telugu people and the consequences of attempts to reform caste hierarchies. The Dalit protagonist Sali Thimma faces oppression, personal betrayals and communal conflict as idealistic efforts founder and result in tragedy.
Caste systemFailed social reformPower and oppressionRural social realities
Bibliography
- Naked in Deccan (1983)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lean, taut proseSinewy, occasionally searing descriptions and dialogueSomber and restrained narrative tone
- Recurring Motifs
- Characters metaphorically 'naked' before downfallFailure of idealismDivisions between social strata
Legacy
Kulkarni was recognized as an Indian-born writer in English who probed rural society and caste issues. Naked in Deccan won the 1984 American Book Award and was named by the Chicago Tribune as one of the top novels of 1985. Critics noted his lean prose and potential to influence fiction both in India and the West.
Archives
- Rice University archives (possible holdings related to Kulkarni)
Quotes
-
The novel, which has a "somber" character, "shows an India which is different from the popular image of that ancient and mysterious country, but it has a ring of truth."
Source: Library Journal (review) (1984) -
One of the best novels of recent years -- and nobody knows about it.
Source: Chicago Tribune (Bruce Allen) (1985)
Trivia
- Naked in Deccan was first published in 1983 and reissued in 1985.
- Kulkarni won the 1984 American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation for the novel.
- The protagonist is a Dalit; the novel addresses caste and the difficulties of reform.