Veteran novelist SL Bhyrappa no more

BENGALURU: Renowned Kannada novelist and Saraswati Samman awardee S L Bhyrappa has passed away at the age of 94. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru, where he succumbed to age-related health issues.

Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa was born on August 20, 1931, at Shanteshwar in Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district. Bhyrappa attended Navodaya High School in Channarayapatna and Sarada Vilas High School in Mysuru.

In the passing of Shri S.L. Bhyrappa Ji, we have lost a towering stalwart who stirred our conscience and delved deep into the soul of India. A fearless and timeless thinker, he profoundly enriched Kannada literature with his thought-provoking works. His writings inspired… pic.twitter.com/ZhXwLcCGP3

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 24, 2025

He earned a BA (Hons) in Philosophy (Major) at Mysore University and an MA in Philosophy as well as being awarded the gold medal by Mysore University. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy – Satya Mattu Soundarya (Truth and Beauty) written in English, at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

Some of his notable works include ‘Vamshavriksha,’ ‘Parva’ and ‘Mandara’. He received numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan, Saraswati Samman and Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, for his contributions.

ಇಹದ “ಯಾನ” ಅಂತ್ಯ..

ಕನ್ನಡದ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಕಾರ, ಪದ್ಮಭೂಷಣ ಪುರಸ್ಕೃತ, ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾರಸ್ವತ ಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಮೊದಲ ಸರಸ್ವತಿ ಸಮ್ಮಾನ್ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಯ ಗೌರವವನ್ನು ತಂದುಕೊಟ್ಟ ಡಾ. ಎಸ್.ಎಲ್.‌ ಭೈರಪ್ಪನವರು ಇಂದು ವಿಧಿವಶರಾಗಿದ್ದು ಬಹಳ ನೋವು ತಂದಿದೆ. ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯಾಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬಸ್ಥರಿಗೆ ಈ ದುಃಖವನ್ನು ಭರಿಸುವ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಭಗವಂತ ನೀಡಲಿ… pic.twitter.com/lJ4LC7cNXk

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) September 24, 2025

SL Byrappa has written over 25 novels including ‘Vamshavriksha’, ‘Varanasi’, ‘Parva’ (based on the Mahabharata), ‘Mandara’, ‘Sarathi’, ‘Tantu’, ‘Avanisha’, ‘Tapassu’, ‘Aavarana’ (a novel on Islamic culture), ‘Saartha’ (Culture), and ‘Uttarakanda’ (retelling the Ramayana from Sita’s perspective).

Bhyrappa was a celebrated figure in Kannada literature, known for his thought-provoking novels that often explored themes of philosophy, morality and human relationships. Although some of his works have sparked controversy, they have received significant support from readers.

He received numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan (2023), Saraswati Samman and Sahitya Akademi Fellowship for his contributions to Indian literature.