Kavirajamarga, written by Amoghavarsha I in the 9th century, is considered the first major work of Kannada literature.

Pampa is known as the 'Adikavi' or the first poet of Kannada literature for his work 'Pampa Bharata', an epic poem based on the Mahabharata.

Kumaravyasa Bharata, written by Kumaravyasa in the 15th century, is considered one of the greatest works of Kannada literature for its poetic excellence and philosophical insights.

Raghavanka is known as the 'Bhagavadbhakta' or the devotee of Lord Vishnu in Kannada literature for his work 'Harischandra Kavya', which tells the story of King Harischandra and his devotion to Lord Vishnu.

Basavanna's Vachanas, a collection of short poems, is considered the first major work of the Bhakti movement in Kannada literature.

Basavanna is known as the 'Vachana Pitamaha' or the father of Vachana literature in Kannada for his significant contributions to the genre.

Kuvempu's Sri Ramayana Darshanam, an epic poem based on the Ramayana, is considered one of the greatest works of Kannada literature in the 20th century.

Kuvempu is known as the 'Rashtrakavi' or the national poet of Karnataka for his significant contributions to Kannada literature and his role in the unification of Karnataka.

S.L. Bhyrappa's Parva, a historical novel, is considered one of the most popular works of Kannada literature in recent times.

Gokak is known as the 'Navya Kavya Pravartaka' or the pioneer of the Navya Kavya movement in Kannada literature for his significant contributions to the movement.

Gokak's Samudra Geetagalu, a collection of poems, is considered one of the most significant works of the Navya Kavya movement in Kannada literature.

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar is known as the 'Kannada Sahitya Rathna' or the gem of Kannada literature for his significant contributions to various genres of Kannada literature.

Masti Venkatesha Iyengar's Chikkaveera Rajendra, a historical novel, is considered one of his most popular works.

Chandrashekhara Kambara is known as the 'Janapada Kavi' or the people's poet of Karnataka for his significant contributions to folk literature and his use of folk elements in his works.

Chandrashekhara Kambara's Jokumaraswamy, a play based on a folk tale, is considered one of his most popular works.