Kesiraja

Kēśirāja, also spelled Keshiraja, was a 13th-century Kannada grammarian, Jain poet and writer. and nephew of the famous Janna. Kēśirāja is particularly known for composing Shabdamanidarpana, an authoritative work on Kannada grammar. According to the Sanskritist Sheldon Pollock, because of this work he is considered the "greatest theorist of Kannada grammar". He was also a scholar in Sanskrit as well and a court poet (Aasthaana kavi) in the Hoysala Court.

==Early life== Kēśirāja was born in a literary Jain family, comprising several well-known Kannada writers. His father, Mallikarjuna (C. 1245 CE), was a Kannada poet. His maternal uncle was the epic writer Janna. Kesiraja's maternal grandfather was another noted poet,Sumanōbana (Śankara), who was a priest of the Yadava capital and poet laureate to Hoysala King Narasimha I. In some of his works, Kesiraja has referred to himself as Keśava. ==Shabdamanidarpana==