Literary figures, admirers recall association by SL Bhyrappa

MYSURU: Renowned Kannada novelist and philosopher S L Bhyrappa passed away at the age of 94 due to cardiac arrest at Rashtrotthana Hospital in Bengaluru’s Rajajinagar. He had been residing in Bengaluru for the past six months due to age-related health issues.

Following his death, wife Saraswathi and son Udayshankar rushed to Bengaluru. Bhyrappa elder son Ravishankar is in England. Bhyrappa’s body is expected to be brought to Mysuru on Thursday for the last rites. Large crowds of his friends and admirers started gathering at his house at Kuvempunagar 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

Reactions to his passing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Bhyrappa’s death, describing him as a “fearless and timeless thinker” who profoundly enriched Kannada literature”. “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 generations to reflect, question and engage more deeply with society. His unwavering passion for our history and culture will continue to inspire minds for years to come. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti”, the PM wrote in a post on X.

Author Vikram Sampath posted on X, “Words fail me miserably in expressing the deep sense of irreparable loss & grief that the sad news of the passing away of one of the greatest litterateurs of our times, Shri SL Bhyrappa engulfs me with. A doyen & a master storyteller with so many classics to his credit –from Tantu, Mandra, Bhitthi, Vamshavriksha, to Parva, Aavarana and many more that I grew up reading & idolizing; he was a class apart; actively involved in literary service , giving talks, attending literary conclaves even at the ripe age of 94”.

Words fail me miserably in expressing the deep sense of irreparable loss & grief that the sad news of the passing away of one of the greatest litterateurs of our times, Shri SL Bhyrappa engulfs me with. A doyen & a master storyteller with so many classics to his credit –from… pic.twitter.com/oh0Rt7zlZk

— Dr. Vikram Sampath, FRHistS (@vikramsampath) September 24, 2025

“I was particularly fortunate to have recieved his guidance, affection and blessings on numerous occasions. My books saw light of day in Kannada only because of him. Right from coming all the way to Mysuru just to launch my books or read those thick volumes to write a foreword & give his invaluable feedback, Bhyrappa Sir was a guru, mentor & a loving grandfather of sorts. Memories of our numerous meetings come gushing in my mind, a few captured in pics below. Such a loss to the world of indian literature, especially Kannada, and a huge one for me personally. May his soul find sadgati…Om Shanti ”, he posted.

Recalling his association with Bhyrappa, BJP spokesperson M T Mahesh said, “Bhyrappa’s death is a great loss to the literary world. He had helped me during my early days as a corporator and often shared valuable insights on national issues during RSS events”.

ABVP leader Dr E C Ningaraja Gowda praised Bhyrappa’s significant contributions to Kannada literature and described his passing as an irreparable loss. “S L Bhyrappa made immense contribution to literataure. When he had inaugurated the Dasara festivities earlier, he had spoken about how Chamundi Hills should be. I heard that his health deteriorated about 20 days ago and came to know about his passing around 2.20 pm on Wednesday”, he said.

Writer K S Bhagwan said, “S L Bhyrappa was a wellknown novelist and writer and I am pained by his passing away. There is no other novelist who can match his popularity. I have lost a good friend. He had lived a full life and contributed to society. Though our ideologies were different, we shared our thoughts. I spoke to him six months ago and he would even visit my house”.

Bhyrappa was known for his thought-provoking novels that often explored complex themes and historical subjects. Some of his notable works include ‘Parva’, ‘Vamshavriksha’, and ‘Griha Bhanga’. He received several accolades for his contributions to literature, including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Saraswati Samman, and Sahitya Akademi Awards.