H. G. Dattatreya

H. G. Dattatreya
Born	Harihar Gundurao Dattatreya 1942 (age 74–75) Chitradurga, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Dattanna
Alma mater	UVCE, Bangalore Indian Institute of Science
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1987–present
Relatives	H. G. Somasekhara Rao (brother)

Harihar Gundurao Dattatreya (born 1942), popularly known as Dattanna, is an Indian actor who has appeared in over 80 films and several plays. Alongside his career as an actor, he served in the Indian Air Force for over 25 years and also occupied academic positions with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He is best known for his work in Kannada cinema, in which he appears in mostly supporting roles. In a film career of almost three decades, he has won two National Film Award – Special Jury Awards, one National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and two Karnataka State Film Awards. He is known for his performances in Munnudi (2000), Bettada Jeeva (2011) and Bharath Stores (2012).

Dattatreya was born in 1942 in Chitradurga, in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore of British India (now in Karnataka) to Harihar Gundurao and Venkamma. He had six siblings; brothers H. G. Venkatesh, was a physicist at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur; H. G. Suryanarayana Rao, as a professor of English in University of Mysore; and H. G. Somasekhara Rao, a writer and an occasional actor. Dattatreya completed his schooling in Chitradurga. He secured the first rank in his matriculation exams in 1958, and second rank on completion of his pre-university course in 1959. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from University of Mysore College of Engineering (UCE), Bangalore, in 1964. In 1978, he obtained a master's degree in electrical communication engineering from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.