Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Kannada novelist the late S.L. Bhyrappa.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 126th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, recalled the contribution of Kannada writer S.L. Bhyrappa, who passed away on September 24, 2025, and urged the youth to read his books.“A few days ago, our country also lost the great thinker and philosopher Bhyrappa. I had personal contact with Bhyrappa, and we had in-depth conversations on various topics on several occasions,” he said.Further, the Prime Minister said, “Bhyrappa’s works will continue to guide the thoughts of the younger generation. Translations of many of his works are also available. He taught us how important it is to be proud of our roots and culture.”It may be noted that he was one of the best-selling novelists of Kannada, with each of his novels running into multiple editions.His novels Parva (1979), a retelling of Mahabharata, Vamshavriksha (1965) and Gruhabhanga (1970) are considered to be classics of Kannada literature. He won the Saraswati Samman award for his novel Mandra (2001) in 2010. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023. Published - September 28, 2025 04:11 pm IST
