Maasthi Venkatesa Iyengar was the fourth Kannada writer to receive the Jnanpith Award, often fondly referred to as 'Masti Kannadada Aasti' (Masti is Kannada's Treasure). He received the award in 1983 for his novel Chikkavira Rajendra, which tells the life story of Vira Rajendra, the last ruler of the Kodagu kingdom. The novel is highly acclaimed for its balanced portrayal of 19th-century culture and ethos.
Iyengar is most renowned for his short stories and wrote under the pen name Srinivasa. He earned the title 'Brahmaa of Kannada Stories' for his literary contributions and was also honored with the title 'Rajasevasakta' by Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore.
