Senior Kannada litterateur and Padma Bhushan awardee SL Bhyrappa passed away at the age of 94 at a hospital in Bengaluru. Admitted to Rashtrotthana Hospital in RR Nagar for age-related ailments, the celebrated author suffered a cardiac arrest.
The hospital’s Medical Administrator, Shyla HN, confirmed the news, calling him a ‘legendary Indian novelist and philosopher’ who ‘reached the lotus feet of the almighty’.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over Bhyrappa’s demise.
Taking to the X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the legendary. He described him as ‘a towering stalwart who stirred our conscience and delved deep into the soul of India’ and praised his ‘fearless and timeless’ thinking that enriched Kannada literature.
PM Modi said Bhyrappa’s passion for history and culture ‘will continue to inspire minds for years to come’ and extended condolences to his family and admirers.
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
Impact on Kannada Literature
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy said Bhyrappa’s novels, such as Parva and Uttarakanda, ‘changed the very way the Mahabharata and Ramayana are seen and read’.
He called the writer an ‘authentic Indian novelist’ and took pride in Bhyrappa’s origins in Hassan district.
The news of the demise of the eminent novelist and Padma Bhushan awardee, Shri SL Bhyrappa, who transformed the very way of perceiving and reading the Mahabharata and the Ramayana through his novels Parva and Uttarakanda, has come as a profound shock.
I have read Shri… pic.twitter.com/uQiDqXg1MQ
— ಹೆಚ್.ಡಿ.ಕುಮಾರಸ್ವಾಮಿ | HD Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 24, 2025
BJP State President and MLA BY Vijayendra also paid tribute, calling Bhyrappa ‘a great soul’ who brought global recognition to Kannada literature and dedicated himself to national interests.
He emphasised how Bhyrappa’s works, translated into several languages, attracted countless readers and highlighted social change while upholding India’s cultural richness.
Bhyrappa stood as one of Kannada literature’s most creative and influential novelists, known for his research-based narratives and exploration of national thought.
His writings inspired generations, earning him numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Saraswati Samman.
Leaders and admirers alike hailed him as the pride of Karnataka, whose contribution to literature transcended linguistic and geographical boundaries.
ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ವಿಶ್ವಮಾನ್ಯತೆ ತಂದು ಕೊಡುವ ಮೂಲಕ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ಹಿತಾಸಕ್ತಿಯ ವಿಚಾರಗಳಿಗೆ ತಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಸಮರ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದ ನಾಡಿನ ಮಹಾನ್ ಚೇತನ, ಸರಸ್ವತಿ ಸಮ್ಮಾನ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಪದ್ಮ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಪುರಸ್ಕೃತ ಡಾ.ಎಸ್. ಎಲ್. ಭೈರಪ್ಪ ಅವರ ನಿಧನದ ಸುದ್ದಿ ತಿಳಿದು ಆಘಾತವಾಯಿತು.
ತಮ್ಮ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದ ಮೂಲಕ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಓದುಗರನ್ನೂ ಆಕರ್ಷಿಸುವ… pic.twitter.com/q5a5owZ17z
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) September 24, 2025
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