K. S. Ashwath

Karaganahalli Subbaraya Ashwathanarayana (25 March 1925 – 18 January 2010) was a veteran Indian actor who worked in Kannada films. He appeared in over 370 films during his five-decade-long career. His memorial is in the Kengeri satellite town, Bengaluru. Memorial name - "K. S. Ashwath Memorial Children's Park".

Ashwath was born on 25 March 1925 in Mysore city in the Kingdom of Mysore of British India as Karaganahalli Subbaraya Ashwathanarayana. He completed his primary education from Dalvoy School, Mysore. He then attained the Bachelor of Commerce degree from Maharaja's College, Mysore with seventh rank in the university. His formal education came to an end in 1942 as he joined the Indian freedom struggle. Two years later, he got a job as a Food Inspector. He later became a stenographer in the Deputy Commissioner's office and spent ten years in government service.

Ashwath's acting career began when he started participating in radio plays produced by Mysore All India Radio. His theatre career thus took off and played major roles in plays of A. N. Murthy Rao, Parvathavani and others. Film director K. Subramanyam, who saw him in one of these plays, selected him for a role in Streerathna in 1956, which was Ashwath's debut as a film actor. He was associated with a theatre group shripita .

In 1960, he played the role of a Swami in Kittur Chennamma with B. Saroja Devi in the lead role. In the same year, he played Narada in the hit Bhakta Prahlada. His role in Gali Gopura gave him an edge and helped shape his career as an artiste of immense calibre. Ashwath then got a role in the English film Seven Wonders of the World and even became the first Kannada actor to appear in a colour film.

Several of his films became big hits. His character role in Naagarahaavu as Chamayya meshtru (i.e., Chamayya Teacher) is still remembered and emulated. Another performance in the film Gange Gauri as Narada (the mythological son of Lord Vishnu) is remarkable in the style, rendering in his inimitable style. He accepted the roles of a father to many co-artistes of around his age as long as the character he was playing was strong. In all, he appeared in 370 films, of which 98 came in supportive roles in films with Rajkumar as the lead actor.

Ashwath had been suffering from Vertebrobasilar insufficiency. On 11 January 2010, he was admitted to the B. M. Hospital, Mysore, following his return from Varanasi where he had developed urinary tract infection. His health deteriorated and he subsequently died at 2:15 a.m. on 18 January following a cardiac arrest. He was cremated at the foothills of Chamundi hills in Mysore.

• 1993–94: Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award by the Karnataka Government.
• Honorary Doctorate: Ashwath was conferred an honorary doctorate from the Tumkur University in the year 2008 for his great contribution to the Kannada cinema for five long decades. He was supposedly the first actor to receive a doctorate from the Tumkur University. While receiving the award, Ashwath said he would dedicate this award to all his directors who brought out the actor in him.
• He is the recipient of 3 national awards.^{[clarification needed]}