ಟಿ.ಪಿ. ಕೈಲಾಸಂ
T.P. Kailasam · 1884–1946
Poet of the day · ಇಂದಿನ ಕವಿ
T.P. Kailasam was a Bangalore engineer who became Kannada's funniest playwright.
He wrote fast, pun-filled plays like Apurva Pashupala and Home Rule in the Kannada people actually spoke — Bangalore street Kannada, not courtly literary language.
Audiences loved him; scholars took decades to catch up. Today he is honoured as the father of modern Kannada drama.
ಹಾಸ್ಯ ನಾಟಕಗಳು
Hāsya nāṭakagalu
Fast, pun-filled plays in spoken Bangalore Kannada — laughter that changed the theatre.
He performed in his own plays and wrote in English and Kannada alike — an engineer by day, Kannada's comedy pioneer by night.
Life story follows standard published accounts. The work highlighted above is the poet's best-known writing. Portrait is an original illustration, not a historical likeness. A new poet is featured each day — come back tomorrow to meet the next one.