BENGALURU Chandrashekar Patil, a Kannada poet and activist, died on Monday in a private hospital here after suffering from age-related diseases. His last rites would be performed in Bengaluru, according to family sources.

Champa, or Chandrashekar Patil, was a well-known poet and playwright who was regarded one of the leading voices of the 'Bandaya' movement (Progressive, rebel literary movement). Champa was the editor of 'Sankramana,' a well-known literary publication. He was notable for leading a number of social and literary campaigns, including the historical Gokak agitation, the Bandaya movement, the anti-Emergency movement, the Mandal report agitation, the farmer's movement, and others.

Patil served as the President of Kannada Sahitya Parishat and the Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority after retiring as an English professor from Karnatak University in Dharwad. In protest of the assassination of scholar Professor M.M. Kalburgi, Patil had returned his Pampa Award, Karnataka's highest literary honour.

Basavaraj Bommai, the Chief Minister, has conveyed his sympathies for Patil's passing. Patil was born in Hattimattur village in Haveri district and became known as 'Champa.' "He's a revolutionary litterateur, to put it that way. He has made a significant contribution to Kannada literature. Throughout, he campaigned for the supremacy of the land's language "Bommai remarked. Siddaramaiah, the leader of the opposition, has also expressed his condolences, saying that his passing is a loss to Kannada literature.

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