The literary as well as cultural community of Kannada is reeling from the death of famous writer, publisher and actress Asha Raghu. The 46 y/o woman was discovered dead at her house in Malleswaram Saturday morning, January 10, 2026. Police early updates indicate that she died by suicide.
Discovery of the Incident
The tragic incident was uncovered after Asha’s daughter, Upasana, and a nurse who looked after her, repeatedly knocked on the door to her bedroom, but received no response. Feeling concerned, they turned to neighbors to open the door, finding her dangling from the ceiling fan. The Malleswaram police were promptly informed and arrived at the scene for inspection. There was no suicide note from the room. She was posthumously inspected, and her body is given to her relatives for the rites to be done.
Battling personal loss and depression
Asha had struggled with severe depression for the last two years according to sources close to the family and police officials. A report indicates that their mental health crisis grew after the death of her husband, K.C. Raghu, a well-known food expert and writer who died in 2024. Asha had recently posted an emotional post on social media, noting that her husband had appeared in her dreams, a memory that friends consider indicative of her psychological distress.
A Dynamic Heritage in Reading and Writing
Asha Raghu was a multi-dimensional personality who made many notable contributions to shaping the region’s cultural scene:
- Literature: As an author, she was known for her ability to create great storytelling and was the new founder of Upasana Prakashana, a publishing house that nurtured young and emerging writers.
- Television & Film: A prominent figure in the Kannada television industry, she served as a dialogue writer, assistant director, and actress.
- Cultural Impact: She was especially busy promoting Kannada heritage actively, and published a book about Andal Thiruppavai recently.
Her death has left an "irreparable void" in the literature community, the Kannada Writers and Publishers Association said, offering profound condolences.
