Kuvempu was a writer and poet of Kannada language. His original name was Kuppali Venkatappagowda Puttappa. He is the first one to receive Jnanpith Award for Kannada. He wrote under the pen name Kuvempu. He was revered as Rashtrakavi. He is immortalized by his work Sri Ramayana Darshanam the rewriting of the ancient Indian epic Ramayan in Kannada language. He was the one who wrote the Karnataka State anthem, ‘Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate’. He was honored with Padma Bhushan award. Kuvempu was born on 29th December 1904 in Hirekodige, Koppa taluk of Chikmagalur district.  He started his education at his home by a teacher from Dakshina Kannada. Then he studied at Anglo Vernacular School in Tirthahalli. He completed his high school education at Mysore and pursued his higher studies at Maharaja College of Mysore. He got his graduation in Kannada literature in 1929.

He founded the Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe in Mysore University which was renamed as Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies later on. His writings reflected his resentment against the caste system. He received Jnanpith Award, Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Padma Vibhushan and Karnataka Ratna award. He died on 11th November 1994 in Mysore Karnataka. In 1987 a new university in the name of Kuvempu was started in Shimoga district.