He was 84 and was suffering from age-related ailments, family sources said. Popularly known as 'NSL' in the Kannada literary world, he was born in 1936 in the Shivamogga district. He had translated about 50 of William Shakespeare's sonnets. Bengaluru: Noted Kannada poet, critic and translator N S Lakshminarayana Bhatta died here early on Saturday. He was 84 and was suffering from age-related ailments, family sources said. Popularly known as 'NSL' in the Kannada literary world, he was born in 1936 in the Shivamogga district. Bhatta has been a household name through his bhavageetes (lyrical poems), and is known for his contribution of modern Kannada poetry, critical works and translations.