Kokkare Hosahalli Shekh Haider Nissar Ahmed (5 February 1936 – 3 May 2020) was an Indian poet and writer in the Kannada language. He was awarded the Padma Shri (2008), the Rajyotsava Award (1981) and the Pampa award for his work (2017). He became a household name for his work Nityotsava (Daily celebration), which is a poem about Karnataka, a piece he composed after seeing Jog falls. He has numerous poems, translations and children's books to his credit. He is known for using simple words that resonate deeply with the public in his literary work.
Nissar Ahmed was born in Devanahalli in Bangalore rural. His father was a government employee. His family moved to Dodda Mavalli in Bangalore. He grew up in a Muslim colony which had about 500 Muslim families. His father admitted him to a Kannada medium school, with the objective of easing the path for him to secure a government job. Most of the children in the neighbourhood studied Urdu.
He was inspired by writers G. P. Rajarathnam and M. V. Seetharamiah who were his teachers at high school.
He was a post-graduate in Geology who 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.
He is best known for Nityotsava (ನಿತ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ). The Nityotsava compilation was released in the year 1978. The Nityotsava song went on to become very famous and he eventually became a household name in Karnataka. A total of 13 albums have been published. He was the chairperson of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy between 1984 and 1987.
Nanna Nudi (My words) - His first poem.
Nityotsava (Daily celebration, 1968)
Manasu Gandhibazaru (Mind is a Gandhibazar)
Swayam Seveya Giligalu (Parrots of Voluntarism)
Anaamika Aanglaru (Anonymous Englishmen)
Sanje Aidara Male (The rain at five in the evening)
Naanemba Parakeeya (Me, the stranger)
Nimmodaniddoo nimmantagade (To be with you, yet not be like you; 1960) - Expression of his angst about the unhealthy competition amongst Kannada poets in the 1960s. He bemoans religious and caste discrimination that prevailed.
Kurigalu saar kurigalu (Sheep sir, Sheep; 1963)
Raman Sathha Suddi (The demise of Raman, 1970)
Savatiya Makkala Hage (Like Step-Children, 1982) - An appeal to Mother India to not treat Muslims like stepchildren and ask to forgive "the misguided ones".
Shilube Yeriddaane - (He has Ascended the Cross, 1982)