Lankesh's first work was the collection of short stories "Kereya Neeranu Kerege Chelli" (1963). His other works include the novels "Biruku" ("The Fissure"), "Mussanjeya Kathaprasanga" (A Story at Dusk), "Akka" (Sister); the plays "T. Prasannana Grihastashrama" ("The Householder-hood of T.Prasanna"), "Sankranti" ("Revolution"), Nanna Tangigondu Gandu Kodi ("A Groom for my Sister") and "Gunamukha" ("Convalescence"); the short story collections, "Umapatiya Scholarship Yatre" ("Umapati's Scholarship Trip"), "Kallu Karaguva Samaya" (When the Stone Melts; winner of the 1993 Sahitya Akademi Award), "Paapada Hoogalu", the translation of Charles Baudelaire's "Les Fleurs du Mal" and "Dore Oedipus mattu Antigone", translation of Sophocles' "Antigone" and "Oedipus Rex".