Author Aerya Alva gets teary farewell

Mangaluru: The last rites of eminent writer Aerya Lakshminarayana Alva, who passed away on Saturday, were performed at his ancestral house at Aeryabeedu in Bantwal taluk on Sunday. He was 94.
Alva suffered a heart attack at his house in the evening, and although he was rushed to a private medical college in the city, he breathed his last.
A writer and prominent literary figure, Alva had presided over several literary conventions.
Closely associated with D Veerendra Heggade, dharmadhikari, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, Lakshminarayana Alva was born to Mavanthoor Subbayya Alva and Domakke Alva of Eryabeedu in Modankaup village. Recipient of an honorary doctorate conferred by Mangalore University, Alva received several state awards in recognition of his services to the field of literature, and other social activities that touched diverse fields.
Born in March, 1926, Alva is survived by his wife Anandi Rai, daughter Sukhada and son-in-law Balakrishna Hegde.
Several prominent citizens, including those from the RSS, with whom the writer was closely associated with, in an organisational capacity, during his lifetime, paid their last respects to the nonagenarian writer at Eryabeedu on Sunday, and the final rites were performed on his ancestral property, later in the evening, amidst a sea of mourners.
Many political and social leaders expressed their condolence at the death of Alva. Bantwal MLA U Rajesh Naik said Alva was instrumental in bringing about many social reforms.
“His death is an irrecoverable loss to society, especially in the literary and religious spheres.” The bishop of Mangalore Diocese Most Rev Peter Paul Saldanha, in his condolence message, said Alva’s contribution to the field of literature, education and culture is commendable.