Eteran Kannada film actor Dr. K. S. Ashwath (85), popular for his roles as an ideal father, passed away at 2. 20 am on 18th January 2010 at Basappa Memorial Hospital on Hunsur Road here, following brief illness.
The actor was admitted to the hospital on January 13. According to Dr. Janardhan of B. M. Hospital, Ashwath, who
had slipped into coma three days ago, died of multiple organs failure.
Ashwath was diabetic, had high blood pressure and cerebral - neural disorder. He was undergoing dialysis and administered oxygen.
According to family sources, Ashwath was deeply pained on hearing the news about the death of his protégé and co - actor Dr. Vishnuvardhan on December 30, after which his health had further deteriorated.
K. S. Ashwath is most remembered for his role as “Chamayya Meshtru” in the movie Nagarahavu starring Vishnuvardhan. Ashwath is survived by wife Sharadamma, two daughters, two sons and four grandchildren. His eldest daughter is Nagarathna - a housewife; son Subbukrishna - a bank employee; daughter Prof. Vijaya Murthy - danseuse and Head of the Department of Political Science, Mahajana College in Mysore and son Shankar - an actor. Subbukrishna's son Tushar is an international swimming champ.
Public Darshan:
Ashwath's mortal was kept for public viewing (anthima darshana) at Javare Gowda Park located between 9th and 10th Mains in Saraswathipuram from 10.10 am. Separate lanes were made for the VIPs and public.
At 3 pm, the body was taken to the actor's home for rituals and then taken in procession in an open vehicle to Harishchandra Ghat at the foot of Chamundi Hill where the last rites were performed with full State honours before sunset.
Schools closed:
Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan ordered closure of all schools, colleges and other educational institutions within the city for the day, in view of the actor's demise. All government programmes have also been cancelled for the day.
Deputy Commissioner of Police B. R. Ravikanthe Gowda has urged the public, who wish to pay their last respects to the actor to help the Police in maintaining law and order by following queue system in the Park.
Police bandobust:
Elaborate Police bandobust was made by the District Administration, being fully prepared for any eventualities.
The surroundings of the actor's residence “Kalashri” on 6th Cross, 4th Main in Saraswathipuram was spruced up in a jiffy by the Mysore City Corporation (MCC), which swung into action since 4 am; removing the garbage piles; shifting the debris and smoothening the roads that had been dug up in the region for water supply system's repairs months ago. The Javare Gowda Park also was spruced up for the solemn occasion, personally supervised by Mayor Purushotham, MLA S. A. Ramdas, Assistant Commissioner Bharathi and DCP Ravikanthe Gowda.
Dignitaries pay respects:
Lok Sabha member H. Vishwanath, Mayor Purushotham, MLA S. A. Ramdas, former Ministers H. S. Mahadevaprasad, M. Shivanna and M. Mahadev, KHB Chairman G. T. Deve Gowda, actors K. S. Ratnakar, Srinath, Chethan Ramrao, Rajesh, Raghavendra Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar, Umesh, Ramesh Bhat, Lokanath, Shivaram, Srinivasa Murthy, Doddanna, Leelavathi, Vinod Raj Kumar, Producer Sa. Ra. Govindu, Director Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar, Dinakar Toogudeepa, S. Narayan, former MLA M. K. Somashekar, MLA H. S. Shankaralinge Gowda, Kannada activist Thayur Vittalamurthy and several others paid their last respects to the veteran actor. Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani paid last respects on behalf of the State Government.
Early Life:
K. S. Ashwath was born on March 25, 1925 in Karaganahalli village of Holenarasipura taluk, Hassan district. He had his primary education at Dalvoy School in Mysore, where he passed intermediate. He later joined Maharaja's College and attained B.Com degree with seventh rank in the University.
He took up the job as Food Inspector in the then City Council. He had also participated in the Freedom Movement of 1942. Based on his experience as an amateur theatre and Akashavani artiste, he got to play a lead role in the movie “Sthreerathna”, directed by K. Subrahmanyam in 1955. Not looking back since then, Ashwath has acted in 370 Kannada films, of which 98 were in supportive character roles with Dr. Rajkumar as the hero. He was presented Honorary Doctorate by Tumkur University and had won the Best Supportive Actor Award thrice.
Ashwath preferred tonga to car:
Dr. K.S. Ashwath preferred to travel on the tonga — horse - driven carriage — within the city, recalled MLA S. A. Ramdas.
Speaking to our correspondent at Ashwath's residence here, Ramdas said he had known Ashwath since he was a student, as Ashwath's son Shankar was his class - mate at JSS College. In those days, Ashwath, being at the peak of his career as a film actor, refrained from using a taxi, let alone own a car and instead preferred tonga, a popular mode of public transport in Mysore city those days.
Ramdas said that when he curiously enquired about it, he was told, "Travelling by the tonga feeds the horse and the tonga - driver. On the other hand, travelling by car means money burnt on the fuel."
Ramdas told that he would speak to Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa and request for erecting a Memorial in the great actor's name in Mysore city."
