Bengaluru: Noted Kannada poet and Padma Shri awardee, K S Nissar Ahmed died on Sunday at the age of 84.

Known as "Nityotsava Kavi" (Nityotsava poet) Ahmed, passed away at his residence in the city, sources said. He was battling cancer and was hospitalised for some time, they said adding that his son too had died of the disease recently in the US.

Ahmed had become the household name through his Nityotsava poem "Jogada siri belakinalli...." which went on to become a popular song.

His works include Nityotsava, Sanje Aidara Male, Nenedavara Manadalli, Naanemba Parakeeya, Manasu Gandhi Bazaru, Kurigalu Saar Kurigalu among others.

Born at Devanahalli in Bengaluru rural, he was a post- graduate in Geology and worked as an Geologist.

He also worked as lecturer of Geology at Central College in Bengaluru, also in Chitradurga and at Sahyadri college in Shivamogga. He is a recipient of awards like Padma Shri, Rajyotsava, Pampa, Kannada Sahitaya Academy awards among several others.

He was the chair of 73rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana held in Shivamogga, and had the pride of inaugurating the the 407th edition of Mysuru Dasara.

Condoling the death of Ahmed, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa termed it as an "irreparable loss" to the state and Kannada literary world.

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Hingoli (PTI): Union minister Amit Shah on Friday dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to speak “nicely” about Veer Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

“Uddhav ji, if you have the courage, get Rahul Baba to speak two good words about Veer Savarkar and Balasaheb,” Shah said, addressing a rally at Hingoli in Maharashtra ahead of the November 20 state assembly elections.

“Rahul Baba's Congress party has passed a resolution in Kashmir to bring back Article 370. Rahul Baba, listen carefully, not only you but even your fourth generation cannot bring back Article 370,” Shah said.

Shah said that in the Haryana assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi had said with confidence that his party had won.

“So much arrogance in a democracy. Look at the results, Congress was wiped out in Haryana and BJP formed the government,” he said.

The senior BJP leader said Sonia Gandhi tried to launch her son 20 times. Her “Rahul plane” is going to crash for the 21st time in Maharashtra elections, he added.

Maharashtra polls will decide whether the state follows the path of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar or the path of Aurangzeb, Shah said.

The BJP-led Mahayuti has chosen the path of Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi people are the Aurangzeb fan club, he said.

“For 70 years, Congress obstructed the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, but Modi ji built it,” he said.

“In Karnataka, the Wakf Board has declared villages, temples, farmers' lands and people's houses as wakf properties. We have brought a bill to amend the Waqf Act, but Sharad Pawar and Company is opposing this bill.

“You can oppose it as much as you want, but the Modi government will change the Waqf Act with full force,” Shah said.