Veteran Kannada writer SL Bhyrappa, a Padma Bhushan awardee, passed away in Bengaluru on Wednesday, September 24. He was 94.
Bhyrappa, who had been suffering from age-related ailments and a brain condition, died of a heart attack at 2.38 pm at Rashtrotthana Hospital in Rajarajeshwari Nagar. For the past three months, he had been living in Bengaluru after leaving Mysuru due to health issues.
Born in Santeshivara village of Hassan district, Bhyrappa rose to become one of the most celebrated Kannada novelists and philosophers of his time. Over a literary career spanning more than six decades, he published 21 novels and several works on aesthetics and philosophy. His celebrated works include Parva, Varanasi, Grihabhanga, Vamshavruksha, Daatu, Tantu, and Mandra.
Many of his novels were adapted into award-winning films. His book Vamshavruksha received the State Sahitya Akademi Award in 1966, while Daatu won both the State and Central Sahitya Akademi Awards in 1975.
Bhyrappa received numerous honours, including the Saraswati Samman (2010), Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (2015), Padma Shri (2016) and the Padma Bhushan (2023). Beyond literature, he was also involved in social initiatives such as lake rejuvenation in his native Hassan.