Bengaluru, 25 Sept 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the State government will take measures to build a memorial for popular Kannada novelist and philosopher SL Bhyrappa in Mysuru. 

Bhyrappa died due to cardiac arrest at a private hospital on Wednesday. He was 94.

"Let's build a memorial. I feel it will be better if it is at Mysuru. Our government will take measures to build a memorial in Mysuru, because he spent most of his life in Mysuru, his education and most of his professional and literary life were in Mysuru," Siddaramaiah told the press.

The Chief Minister, who paid his last respects to the mortal remains of Bhyrappa, noted that the writer was a recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademi awards, among other honours. Siddaramaiah felt that Bhyrappa should have got the "Jnanpith" award, the highest Indian literary award.

Bhyrappa's mortal remains were kept at Ravindra Kalakshetra in the City for people to pay their last respects on Thursday. His cremation will be held on Friday after 8.30am at the Rudrabhoomi located at the foothills of Chamundi Hills.

The State government decided to perform his last rites with full state honours.

Bhyrappa had written about 25 novels, which had been translated into 40 languages. 

Bhyrappa is known for his popular novels 'Vamshavriksha', 'Daatu', 'Parva', and 'Mandara'. His works like 'Naayi-Neralu', 'Matadana', 'Vamshavriksha', 'Tabbaliyu Neenaade Magane', have been made into movies; and 'Gruhabhanga' and 'Daatu' into TV series. Bhyrappa's autobiography is titled Bhitti (Canvas).