Tribute to an enduring beacon of truth…

By Prof. G.L. Shekar

Today, September 24, marks the first death anniversary of noted novelist Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa. However, the silence in his study feels heavier than ever.

Having spent more than four decades walking in the shadow of this literary giant and serving as the Honorary Secretary of the S.L. Bhyrappa Sahitya Pratishtana (SLB-SP), this milestone is not only just a day of public remembrance for a legendary novelist but also a deeply personal reckoning with the loss of a mentor, a guide and a father-like figure.

To the world, Dr. Bhyrappa was an uncompromising literary institution, but for those who shared a close personal association with him, he was a man of profound discipline and sharp focus. My most cherished memories are watching his meticulous research process, sharing morning newspapers and witnessing his fierce dedication to truth.

He did not write for applause, he wrote because he believed it was a philosophical necessity. Through my efforts in compiling interviews for the book Chintana-Manthana, I personally observed that Dr. Bhyrappa possessed an uncanny ability to filter out noise.

When working on a novel, evaluating public policy or writing an article, he entertained only elements strictly relevant to the core truth of the matter and refused to engage in trivial gossip or superfluous pleasantries.

The S.L. Bhyrappa Prize was presented to Amish Tripathi by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman for his book The Chola Tigers. Dr. Vikram Sampath is seen to her right.

It is deeply comforting to see this vision reverberating far beyond the borders of Karnataka. Just days ago, at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, the inaugural FIHCR Annual History Prizes served as a spectacular testament to his living heritage.

Instituted by well-known historian Dr. Vikram Sampath’s Foundation for Indian Historical and Cultural Research (FIHCR), the national event featured the prestigious S.L. Bhyrappa Prize for Indian Historical Fiction. It was given to renowned author Amish Tripathi for his historical storytelling for his book The Chola Tigers.

This national celebration was rendered even more poignant by the deeply personal observations shared by Dr. Vikram Sampath himself, who spoke emotionally about how Dr. Bhyrappa served as a foundational pillar for his own trajectory as a historian.

Dr. Sampath recalled how Dr. Bhyrappa’s epic storytelling and uniquely Indic approach left an indelible mark on his psyche, teaching him the rare discipline of exhaustive, ground-level research.

Indeed, a crowning moment of this relationship occurred when Dr. Bhyrappa, even in his advanced age, agreed to write the Foreword for Dr. Vikram Sampath’s definitive book, Tipu Sultan: The Saga of Mysore’s Interregnum (1760-1799).

In that Foreword, Dr. Bhyrappa had characteristically set the ball rolling by warning how historical truth is often sacrificed on the altar of political convenience, while fondly recalling a 1930s Kannada Lavani (folk song) from his childhood.

For Dr. Vikram, naming the national fiction award after the colossus was a small act of gratitude to the man who gave him the courage of conviction to look at history through an uncompromised lens.

The vacant chair in his study will always remain an emotional reminder of what we have lost, but the national resonance of his legacy — from the lecture halls of New Delhi to the hearts of young historians across India — gives us the strength to move forward.

Staging of Parva on Oct. 2 and 3

As we mark Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa’s first death anniversary today, the SLB-SP is proud to host the monumental Parva drama in Kannada in Mysuru on Oct. 2 and 3 at Jagannatha Centre for Art and Culture (JCAC) in Vijayanagar 1st Stage.

Directed by the acclaimed theatre practitioner Prakash Belawadi, this 8-hour production breathes life into Dr. Bhyrappa’s literary magnum opus—a brilliant masterpiece that courageously strips the Mahabharata of miracles and divine intervention to examine the raw, timeless complexities of human nature, power and moral dilemmas. Our attempt is to bring Dr. Bhyrappa’s vision tangibly alive for his home audience.

Through the words Dr. Bhyrappa left behind, he fiercely defended the truth. I am sure he continues to walk beside thousands of his admirers, readers, writers and thinkers across the globe, as well as organisations, guiding their path into the future.

[The author, Prof. G.L. Shekar, a close associate of late   Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa for over four decades, is the Hon. Secretary of S.L. Bhyrappa Sahitya Pratishtana, Mysuru]