Pune: Eminent cartoonist R K Laxman passed away on Monday evening in a private hospital in Pune. He was 94.
Laxman was best known for his creation of ‘The Common Man’, who embodied the aspirations and troubles of generations of Indians for over half a century.
His daily cartoon strip, “You Said It” featured in The Times of India, which started in 1951.
Through his iconic character of the common man, Laxman has held a mirror to the society by creating satire targeting politicians for more than five decades. However, of late he stopped sketching political cartoons.
In his career spanning over 60 years, Laxman fearlessly drew cartoons on Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and several others leaders.
Born in 1924 in Mysore, his big career break came in Mumbai first with the Blitz magazine. Later, he worked with Free Press journal, alongside cartoonist Bal Thackeray, who then went on to form the political party, Shiv Sena.
Laxman received top honours, including the Magsaysay award. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.
His famous words was noted in his autobiography, The Tunnel of Time: “I drew objects that caught my eye outside the window of my room – the dry twigs, leaves and lizard-like creatures crawling about, the servant chopping firewood and, of course, and number of crows in various postures on the rooftops of the buildings opposite.â€
Laxman, battling a severe urinary tract infection and kidney failure, was put back on mechanical ventilator support after his health took a turn for the worse, becoming “very critical†since Sunday evening. Incidentally, he was taken off the ventilator last week after his health showed marginal but steady improvement, sparking hopes of a possible recovery.
He leaves behind his wife Kamala, a writer, retired journalist son Srinivas and daughter-in-law Usha.