She said that the void created by his demise in the Indian literary space and social conscience will be hard to fill.
In his condolence message, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said that he was deeply saddened to hear of Ananthmurthy passing away.
"We have lost in him a world renowned writer, an educationist and a thinker," Rahul said.
"He contributed immensely not just to Kannada literature but brought great wisdom and insight to some of the most pressing national issues. His loss will be deeply mourned. My prayers are with his families," he added.