Kavana Sarma

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Kavana Sarma

Kandula Varaha Narasimha Sarma, who became famous as Kavana Sarma was born on 23rd Sept 1939. By profession he is a Professor of Civil Engineering who specialises in water resources. He is now retired from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is an advisor to Rachana Masa Matrika.

In his essay, Political and Social Reality in Telugu Fiction, Prof. V.V.S. Sarma says “Kavana Sarma probably is the only Telugu fiction writer who wrote satirical stories concerning Ph.D. dissertations, brain drain, scientific conferences, science academies etc.” Political and Social Reality in Telugu Fiction

A devout atheist. Kavana Sarma at Kalepalli Eswara Alayam

In an interview to The Hindu, Metroplus, Visakhapatnam At Home with fact and fiction, Kavana Sarma said that he started writing at the age of 14, and that he is an ‘eternally curious person’.

In front of the ancestral home in Bundar where he spent his childhood

On Oct 16th 2007 The Hindu listed ‘Science Nadachina Baata’ (The path that Science walked) by Kavana Sarma in its list of New Arrivals. Announcement of Science Nadachina Baata

Kavana Sarma’s ‘Sangha Puranam’ (The story of Organizations), later published as Vyangya Kavanalu is classed under Telugu Satire. Telugu Satire, Encyclopedia of Indian Literature,Published by Sahitya Akademi,1992,ISBN 8126012218, 9788126012213

With his wife Vijayalakshmi in his home in Bangalore

Sarojini Premachand writes “In his story `Spruha’, Kavana Sarma skillfully depicts how young boys and girls are conditioned mainly by mothers using very subtle methods to conform to gender, class and caste boundaries prevailing in society. This story, told from a school boy’s angle, is good material to include in children’s literature.” The Hindu Book Review of KathaVahini 2006

Happy at the beach: Loved swimming in sea and rivers from childhood.

The editorial of the Aug 2007 issue of Literary Voices of India says “In ‘Ame Illu’, (Her Home) Kavana Sarma explores the concept of what constitutes a home through the eyes of a middle aged housewife who shocks her family and friends by deciding to take up a job and move into a cramped rented accommodation. Why? Because her husband made it clear that the home she thought was theirs was his alone and she lived there on his terms. Sarma’s narration is matter-of-fact, free of rancor or melodrama, portraying the heroine as a good natured, practical woman seeking personal independence rather than an activist fighting for a social cause. ‘Literary Voices of India’ were commended by the writer Sri Sarma for this translation.” Literary Voice of India Aug 2007 editorial.