Viswanatha Satyanarayana

Indian Telugu-language writer

Born: September 10, 1895  ·  Died: October 18, 1976

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Viswanatha Satyanarayana
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Who was Viswanatha Satyanarayana?

Viswanatha Satyanarayana (10 September 1895 – 18 October 1976) was a 20th-century Telugu writer. His works included poetry, novels, dramatic play, short stories and speeches, covering a wide range of subjects such as analysis of history, philosophy, religion, sociology, political science, linguistics, psychology and consciousness studies, epistemology, aesthetics and spiritualism. He was a student of the illustrious Telugu writer Chellapilla Venkata Sastry, of the Tirupati Venkata Kavulu duo. Viswanatha's wrote in both a modern and classical style, in complex modes. His popular works include Ramayana Kalpavrukshamu (Ramayana the wish-granting divine tree), Kinnersani Patalu (Mermaid songs) and the novel Veyipadagalu (The Thousand Hoods). The parallel "free-verse" movement in easy prose of Telugu literature criticised him as a bigot who hung onto the strict rules of poetry such as Yati, Prasa (rhyme) and Chandas (meter). His popular works include Ramayana Kalpavrukshamu, Kinnersani Patalu and the novel Veyipadagalu.

poem of viswanatha satyanarayana about himself
poem of viswanatha satyanarayana about himself
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Historical significance

Among many awards, he was awarded the Jnanpith Award in 1970, the first for a Telugu writer, and Padma Bhushan in 1971. However this only covers a part of the wide variety of literature he created.

Satyanarayana on a 2017 stamp of India
Satyanarayana on a 2017 stamp of India
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MLA

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APA

Viswanatha Satyanarayana. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/viswanatha-satyanarayana/

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“Viswanatha Satyanarayana.” thisDay. Accessed October 22, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/viswanatha-satyanarayana/.

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