Bengaluru: Famous Kannada laureate, poet and geologist of Karnataka, Kokkare Hosahalli Shekh Haider Nissar Ahmed, known as K. S. Nissar Ahmed passed away today after noon due to age related ailments. He was 84. He was recently admitted to hospital and breathed his last at his residence in Bengaluru today.

The 407th edition of Mysuru Dasara was inaugurated by K S Nissar Ahmed, poet of Nityotsava fame. He was the 73rd president for Kannada Sahitya Sammalenna held at Shivamogga in the year 2007.

Mr Nisar was a post-graduate in Geology and worked as an assistant Geologist in The Mysore Mines and Geology at Gulbarga, before coming in touch with Kuvempu and was invited to the Kannada poets’ meet during Dasara festival in 1959. He worked as a lecturer in Geology in Central College, Bangalore and then in Chitradurga. Later, he taught in the Sahyadri First Grade College in Shimoga for two terms during 1967–72 and 1975–78.

For his services to the Kannada language, he was given of several awards, some which are:

• Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry Anaamika Aanglaru (1982)
• Rajyotsava Award (1981)
• Nadoja Award (2003)
• Padma Shri (2008)
• Sahitya Academy Award (2008)
• Honorary doctorate from Kuvempu University
• Pampa Award (2017)

Mr Nisar was considered an authority on Kannada language and was commissioned by the State government to validate several Kannada related works of the governement.