Eminent Kannada writer Dr. MM Kalburgi shot dead in Dharwad

The veteran Kannada writer and former vice-chancellor of Kannada University Dr Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi was shot dead on 30 August 2015 at his residence in Dharwad. He was shot dead by unidentified persons.

The 77 year old Kannada epigraphist and renowned scholar of Vachana literature, Kalburgi was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award (2006) for Marga, a collection of his research articles.

A rationalist and a Communist ideologue, Kalburgi had run-ins with right wing Hindutva groups over the years.

He came under criticism in the 1980s from the lingayats community of Karnataka, after he was accused of making "derogatory references" to Basava, a 12th-century philosopher who is revered by the community.

In 2014, he had spoken openly against idolatry in Hinduism in support of another Kannada writer UR Ananthamurthy.