Nitin Kushalappa | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Other names | Mookonda Kushalappa |
| Education | Clarence High School, St. Joseph's Pre-University College, CMR Institute of Technology(BE), Kuvempu University (MA), Alliance University (EPGDM) |
| Occupation(s) | Author, Engineer |
| Known for | Thirke (2022), Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold (2023) |
| Awards | Bal Sahitya Puraskar for English in 2025 |
Nitin Kushalappa (born Mookonda Poonacha Nitin Kushalappa, also known as Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa, Nitin Kushalappa M P or Mookonda Kushalappa) is an Indian author of books and articles. [1]
Kushalappa hails from Kodagu (Coorg), a region rich in oral lore. [2] [3] [4] He studied in Bangalore in Clarence High School, St. Joseph's Pre-University College, CMR Institute of Technology (BE), Kuvempu University (MA) (correspondence course) and Alliance University (EPGDM) (weekend classes). [1]
Nitin Kushalappa is a lead engineer in the software development industry. [5]
Kushalappa has also been working towards preserving the Kodava language and culture. [6] [7] He is the researcher working for the online Kodava Virtual Museum. [8] [9] [10] [11] He has done work on an old temple script, thirke. [12] [13] [14] In an interview with Anushree Madhavan of The New Indian Express, Nitin admits that Coorg and the Pattole Palame are constant influences in his works. [15] [16]
He is the author of Puffin Books' Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold. [17] [18] [19] [20] This is a children's book, a collection of 15 South Indian folktales, published in 2023. [21] [22] [23] This book won him the Sahitya Akademi's Bal Sahitya Puraskar in 2025. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] Dakshin was also shortlisted for the 2023 Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize in the children's fiction category. [30]
Kushalappa has books on local history, a translation from Kannada to English on Pandyanda Belliappa, and a biography to his credit. [18] [31] His book 'The Major who kept his Cool' is the biography of an army hero Lt Col (then Major) P S Ganapathi MVC, who protected his men while they were in hostile territory. [31] Nitin has co-authored a book on the native religious practises of Kodagu. [32] His various articles have been published by the Deccan Herald , and Star of Mysore . He also writes under the names Mookonda Kushalappa, Mookonda Nitin Kushalappa, and Nitin Kushalappa M P. [33] [2] [3]