Bolwar Mahamad Kunhi was born on October 22, 1951 at Bolwar in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. He retired as the Chief Publicity Manager of Syndicate Bank, Manipal in 2011. He resides in Bangalore now.

Bolwar Mahamad Kunhi introduced Muslim sensibility to Kannada prose for the first time. He is the only writer in the country to have won the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award twice for creative prose.

Bolwar started his literary career with a desire to put forth the sufferings of the Muslim community, which had been neglected in the Kannada literary world, to his readers through short stories. He became a prominent Kannada writer through sheer hard work. Bolwar was one of the first writers to put down the innermost aspects and insights of Muslim life in Kannada literature in an authentic, meaningful way. He sees people of all castes, creeds and religions as equal in his writings, and reveals the painful existence of his community while narrating amusing episodes. In all his stories, his different characters speak of the necessity of social and emotional bonding between Hindu and Muslim community of Muthuppadi village. ಒಂದು ತುಂಡು ಗೋಡೆ, his famous long story, deals with the explosive subject of Ayodhya in a humorous, personal vein. Narrating the story of Roti Pathumma, an old woman who wants to build her own house from the rubble of Babri Masjid, the story balances serious, humorous and poignant elements. Boluvaru has written more than 250 short stories and is recognized as a leading Kannada short story writer. His works have been translated into several languages.

Navakarnataka Prakashana, a well-known Karnataka publishing house, published his ‘Jihad’ as its first Indian novel more than four decades ago. It created a new sensation within the Muslim community and became a popular text for graduation classes in many universities.

Bolwar’s ಓದಿರಿ, the first historical novel based on the life of the Prophet Muhammad was published in 2015. Its first page reads: “Dedicated to my father Abbas Beary: For instilling the basic truth in me to at least read once the Veda, Upanishad, Tripitaka, Bhagavad Gita, Jinashasana, Taurat, Zaboor, Bible, Qur’an or Guru Granth Sahib or any other scripture which I wanted to justify or oppose”. This reflects his concern to inculcate human values ​​in life for a better society.

Bolwar’s Swatantrada Ota, a massive 1,111 page novel published in 2010, is an achievement. Sharing the existential impulses of several generations with the readers, the novel has made a place for itself in the world literature. It was honored with the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award in 2016.

Children’s literature

Bolwar’s Papu Gandhi Gandhi Baapu Ada Kathe, which received the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award in 2006, has been translated to English as ‘From Monu to Mahatma’, published by Peak Publishing House, London. Writer Dr U R Anathamurthy, a Jnanapeetha awardee, has called this “one of the best books written on Gandhi, not only for children, even for the grown-ups”.

In 1991, Bolwar edited and published Tattu Chappale Putta Magu, a golden feather in the cap of Kannada children’s literature. This rarest of the rare books with 106 children’s poems, including the first ever rhyme published in Kannada school books, was illustrated by 48 famous artists of the time, Dr. Shivaram Karanth being one of them. Famous critic Dr Keerthanatha Kurthakoti stated that one must look into the anthology to know what we have given to our children, culturally, in the last century.

Other works:

Bolwar has worked in many literary genres like story, novel, drama, biography, travelogue, editing, and translation. He is associated with several organizations. He has served as State President of Karnataka Rajya Samudaya Samanvaya Samithi, as Convener of Bandaya Sahitya Sanghatane and as the President of Chitra Samudaya.  He was the senate member of Hampi Kannada University. He has also rendered valuable service in Karnataka Rajya Sahitya Academy, Kannada Abhivruddhi Pradhikara, Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara, and other literary and cultural associations.

Works:

1. Attha Itthagala Sutta Mutta
2. ದೇವರುಗಳ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ
3. Akashakke Neeli Parade
4. Anka
5. ಒಂದು ತುಂಡು ಗೋಡೆ
6. Ayda Kathegalu

Novels:

1. Jihad
2. Swatantrada Ota
3. ಓದಿರಿ
4. Ummaa

Historical Work:

1. Punnapra Wayalar Samara

Plays:

1. Malala Allaa…
2. Pandita Fakira Ondu Gazal

Children’s Literature:

1. Tattu Chappale Putta Magu (Collected Children’s Poems)
2. Papu Gandhi Baapu Gandhi Ada Kathe (Novel)
3. Santhammanna (Collected Children’s Poems)
4. Hanneradu Makkala Natakagalu
5. Dharani Mandala (Collected Children’s Stories and Poems)

Edited Works:

1. Shatamanada Kannada Kathegalu (Rajya Sahitya Academy)
2. Dehali Kannada Sahitya (Dehali Kannada Sangha)

Translations:

1. Mayavada Vamana (Novel, Original Marathi by Jayanth Narliker)
2. Santa Florala Tappoppige (Long Story, Urdu Original by Khurathulin Haider)

Autobiography:

1. ಮೋನು ಸ್ಮೃತಿ

Awards:

1. Kendra Sahitya Academy Award, 2016
2. Kendra Sahitya Academy Bala Sahitya Award, 2010
3. Karnataka Sahitya Academy Honarary Award, 1997
4. Karnataka Sahitya Academy Book Award, 1983
5. Karnataka Sahitya Academy Book Award, 1992
6. Karnataka Rajyothsava Award, 1991
7. Calcutta Bharathiya Bhasha Sansthan Award, 1981
8. Dehali Katha Prashasti, 1994
9. Samskrithi Samman Award, 2001
10. Masthi Gourava Prashasti, 2019
11. Shivaram Karanth Balavana Award, 2010
12. Basavaraja Kattimani Award, 2013
13. State Award for the Screenplay of Munnudi, 2001
14. National Award for Munnudi film, 2001
15. State Award for the screenplay of Athithi, 2002
16. Parashurama Award, 2002
17. Vishukumar Award, 2015
18. Sooryanarayana Chadaga Award, 2013
19. Karavali Kalasha Award, 2016
20. Toulava Award, 2010
21. Aryabhata Award, 1991
22. Abu Dhabi WF Honarary Award, 2015
23. Gandhi Memorial Endowment Award, 2018
24. Muslim Lekhakara Sangha Honorary Award, 2017
25. Syndicate Sindh Ratna Award, 2017
26. Bengaluru Literary Festival Award, 2018
27. Aradhana Award, 2018
28. Sandesha Prathishtana Award, 2020