Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar (Kannada:ಮಾಸ್ತಿ ವೆಂಕಟೇಶ ಐಯಂಗಾರ್,Tamil:மாஸ்தி வெங்கடேஷ் ஐயங்கார்) (June 6, 1891 - June 6, 1986) was a popular writer in Kannada language. He was the fourth person among seven recipients[1] of Jnanpith Award for Kannada the highest literary honour conferred in India. He was popularly referred to as Maasti Kannadada Aasti which means Maasti is Kannada\s Treasure. He is most renowned for his short stories. He wrote under the pen name Srinivasa. He was honored with the title Rajasevasakta by then Maharaja of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadeyar. [edit] Early life and education Masti was born in 1891, at Hossahalli in Kolar district of Karnataka in a Tamil speaking Sri Vaishnavaite family. Due to poverty, he moved from place to place until he obtained a master\s degree in English