Padma Shri, one of India’s top civilian honours, in 1974. Karnad’s other well-known films in Kannada include Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane (1977) and Ondanondu Kaaladalli (1978). He also worked in Hindi, directing the critically acclaimed Utsav (1984), an adaptation of Shūdraka’s 4th-century Sanskrit play Mrichchakatika.

The multifaceted author and playwright also hosted a weekly science program on the Doordarshan titled Turning Point. Featuring Indian scientist Yash Pal, the award-winning show explained complex, modern scientific discoveries in simple language.

Even as he aged, he continued to make public appearances at panel discussions and literature festivals to discuss his work.

Outside of his work on stage and on screen, he was an active voice against violence against writers and journalists in India. On the one-year anniversary of the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, heattended an event with a placard around his neck that read, “#MeTooUrbanNaxal.” He also took part in protests in Bengaluru after Lankesh’s death as well as protests against the murder of academic MM Kalburgi.

During the Karnataka police's investigation into Gauri Lankesh's murder, they found that Karnad's name was first on a hit list of a far-right conspiracy, by members associated with groups that were targeting several litterateurs and rationalists.

He was born in Maharashtra on May 19, 1938. He got his Bachelor's degree from the Karnataka University in 1958 and then proceeded on a fellowship to study at Oxford where he secured his M.A. degree in 1963. At Oxford, Karnad studied philosophy, politics, and economics.

He is survived by his wife Saraswathi, son Raghu Karnad, a journalist and writer and