VIJAYAWADA: Novelist and writer Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani , who scripted a new legacy in Telugu fictional literature, passed away in California, USA on May 19. Family and friends broke the news of her death on Monday. She was 79.Sulochana died of a massive heart stroke in her daughter Sailaja 's residence at Cupertino Township near California. Sources said the veteran novelist had gone to the US just one-and-a-half months ago to stay with her daughter, who works in Google . Her last rites will be performed on Wednesday.Born on April 2, 1939 in Kaza village in Krishna district, Sulochana along with Arikepudi Kousalya Devi and Ranganayakamma heralded a new trend in Telugu literature. If Ranganayakamma was a strong votary of Marxism, Sulochana became a household name among middle class sections with her signature style of prose. Critics often say that she was the early reflection of feminism in Telugu mainstream literature.While she had distanced herself from active literature in the last couple of decades, Sulochana was the highest paid writer and earned royalties till her death. "She used to donate her royalty money for charity, mostly for the welfare of streetkids," Vijay Kumar of Emesco Publications and a family friend told TOI.She had to her credit 100 novels, beginning with the famous 'Secretary' that was adapted as a film with late Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) and Vanisri in the lead and was a commercial hit. The novel has seen 90 reprints though it was written 50 years ago. Its protagonist, Rajasekhar, occupies cult figure status in Telugu. Sulochana's last contribution for films was director Trivikram's Nithin and Samantha starrer ' A...Aa', which was partially inspired by her novel 'Meena'.Several Telugu readers and writers took to social media to pay tributes to her. Condoling her death, vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu tweeted, "Saddened by the news of passing away of Telugu novelist Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani."

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