Mysuru: Stating that Saraswati Samman awardee Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa holds a high place in the literary world, senior journalist Vishweshwar Bhat said that Dr. Bhryappa’s works have fetched more than Rs. 4 crore in sales after his death. 

He was speaking after presiding over Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa commemoration programme organised by Srirangapatna’s Priyadarshana Samskrutika Vedike at BSS Vidyodaya in Krishnamurthypuram recently. 

Pointing out that Dr. Bhyrappa’s works stood at the top for seven consecutive years at Frankfurt Book Fair, Bhat said that this explains the richness of his books.  

“Bhyrappa will remain etched in our memory for ever. He had suggested for proof reading by at least 10 persons and fact checking before a newspaper went for print. He was against any short cuts or byways. The great littérateur never did anything against what was in his mind. He had a remarkable memory. Bhyrappa donated about Rs. 80 lakh to poor students and journalists of his choice, which no other Kannada author has given thus far. Even former MP Prathap Simha is a beneficiary of Bhyrappa,” he said. 

Recalling an instance of the great litterateur’s memory power, Vishweshwar Bhat said that Bhyrappa had to attend a Court over his property rights in the last years of his life. As he stood in the witness box, a lawyer, who cross examined him, questioned about his memory power considering his old age. Soon Bhyrappa narrated  the incidents of his life in the past 50 years with clarity and alacrity which not only stunned the lawyer who had questioned him, but also everyone around. 

Stressing on the need for analysing  Dr. Bhyrappa’s works from the global view point, Bhat regretted that there was a time when journalistic circles only discussed about littérateurs such as U.R. Ananthamurthy and P. Lankesh, while completely ignoring Dr. Bhyrappa. However, Bhyrappa never felt disappointed over this, he noted. 

Former Kuvempu Bhasha Bharathi Chairman Prof. Ajakkala Girish Bhat spoke on ‘Bhyrappa  and Nationalism’, while Sanskrit Scholar G.N. Bhatta spoke on ‘Bhyrappa’s intellectualism and thoughts.’  

Senior Sanskrit scholar and Mysuru Mithra columnist Dr. H.V. Nagaraja Rao, BSS Vidyodaya Hon. Secretary R. Vasudev Bhat and others were present on the occasion.  

G.N. Manjunath compered the programme. Earlier, floral tributes were offered to the portrait of Dr. Bhyrappa. 

‘I was issued a notice against participating in the event’ 

Declaring that he was issued a Court notice against participating in the event with a note of caution that he must not speak much about Dr. Bhyrappa, Vishweshwar Bhat said, as such, he was uncertain about attending the event even at the last minute.  

However, he made up his mind about attending the event after seeking the opinion of legal experts, who gave him words of courage saying that he was free to talk whatever he felt. These encouraging words from legal experts brought him to the event, he said adding that he would not like to say which Court served him notice and who was behind it.