Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold

Sammohinee Ghosh of Mid-day, a Mumbai daily, states that "Kushalappa’s writing strikes the reader through its detailed and in-depth research."^[3]

Shweta Sharan of the Mint, a New Delhi-based publication under HT Media, states, "Keen to retell and document fables and myths from India, Nitin Kushalappa MP has collected 15 fantastic folk tales from South India in his latest book, 'Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold'. Published by Puffin (an imprint of Penguin Random House India), the book is filled with tales of evil sorcerers, gods, goddesses, fairies, animals, village folk, hunters, kings, and queens."^[5]

Author C P Belliappa writes in Star of Mysore, "In retelling these stories, Nitin has given them a new flavour with his distinctive writing style... Each of the stories takes the reader on a whirlwind of fantasy. By the time the story peaks the reader is drawn into the vortex of the tale wondering what comes next. Every story invariably has an unexpected ending. And every story has a moral. The book is targeted at children nine years and older. It’s a collection that can be enjoyed by young adults, adults, and senior citizens as well... The book is on its way to becoming a classic. "^[6][7][8]

Md. Faizan Moquim wrote about the book in The Book Review in November 2023. He says that, "Kushalappa’s skillful narration keeps the reader anticipating the next twist and provides ample occasion to relish the world of folklore. The author, however, does not attempt to tease out differences between fables, myths, and folktales. A note toward this end in the introduction would have added clarity to these seemingly interchangeable terms for the young readers... Kushalappa’s retelling is certainly bound to inspire readers to find new horizons of meaning."^[14]

Dakshin was shortlisted for the 2023 Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize in the children's fiction category.^[15] In 2025, this book got its author the Sahitya Akademi's Bal Sahitya Puraskar, India's highest national award for children's literature.^{[16][17][18][19][20][21]}