Cartoonist R.K. Laxman passes on
The creator of the famous “common man” cartoons has had his last laugh. Even as the nation celebrated its 66th Republic Day grandiosely ,complete with US President Barack Obama as chief guest , iconic illustrator and humourist R.K. Laxman slipped away quietly in Pune at the age of 93 after multi-organ failure.
He leaves behind many faithful fans who began their day with a smile at the wry humour of his pocket cartoons that ran for over 50 years in English daily The Times of India. After all who can forget the bewildered, bespectacled elder cartoon character who haplessly peers at political figures, businessmen and other bigwigs who make a field day of corruption, official apathy and self aggrandisement? Of his common man, the cartoonist said in 2002: “He remains the same and has not spoken a word. Quietly watching the world, he represents the silent majority of India, who have no voice.”
A sampler: As two poverty stricken villagers miserably survey the aftermath of a horrific cyclone, one says to the other, “Sixty thousand crores loss! But for the cyclone we would never have known we were so rich!” Or a grubby father and son duo as they peer at a hoarding in a big city. Explains the father: “I don't know what it is. If I could read I would have been able to tell you whether it is an election poster or cinema poster!”
Laxman's merciless lampooning extended to the leading political figures of the day. Among them was late Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who had the generosity of spirit to tell Laxman to continue to caricature him. But Laxman's wit did not always go down well with later establishments. He was hauled up for his temerity during the infamous Emergency. There was a rumbling too Delhi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) circles when Laxman repeatedly caricatured the party's stalwart L.K. Advani after the notorious rath yatra.
However, Laxman stood tall in the face of his critics' sniping. Recognition came his way when he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the Padma Vibhushan. The pity is that nothing has changed for his well loved common man.
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