| Real Name | Girish Raghunath Karnad |
| Nickname | Giri |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession | Actor, Film Director, Screenwriter, Professor |
| Height | 5.9 ft |
| Weight | 80 kg |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Date of Birth | 19 May 1938 |
| Age | 87 Years |
| Date of Death | |
| Birth Place | Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Hometown | Bangalore, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| School / College | Karnatak Arts College, Dharwad, Karnataka University Magdalen College, University of Oxford, England B.sc , M.A, Ph.D. |
| Parents | Son - Raghu Karnad |
| Spouse | Saraswathy Ganapathy |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Hobbies | Reading, Writing, Listening music, Yoga |
| Net Worth | 5-10 Crore |
He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where he studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics before returning to India to pursue theatre and cinema.
Karnad’s play Tughlaq (1964) is considered a landmark in modern Indian theatre, reflecting political disillusionment through historical allegory.
He often used mythology and history in his plays to address contemporary social and political issues, blending tradition with modernity.
His works were originally written in Kannada but he translated many into English himself, earning international recognition.
Karnad was awarded the Jnanpith Award in 1998, India’s highest literary honor, for his contributions to literature.
He acted in multiple languages including Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Marathi films, making him a truly pan-Indian artist.
Apart from acting and writing, he also served as the Director of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from 1974 to 1975.
He was known for his outspoken views on social and political issues, often sparking debates but never shying away from expressing his convictions.