A collection of gems from India's best-loved cartoonist From financial crises to the woes of householders, from political instability to rampant corruption, Laxman's cartoons capture the entire gamut of contemporary Indian experience. Hilarious and thought-provoking at the same time, this is a treasure house of humour from one of the most striking voices to comment on Indian sociopolitical life. 'For half a century, the Times of India has thoughtfully provided an antidote to all the bad news brimming on its front pages. It's a sketch, a single box, inked by R.K. Laxman, the country's sharpest cartoonist and political satirist. Each morning, Laxman's frazzled character, known as the Common Man, confronts India's latest heartbreak with a kind of wry resignation. [He's] a witness to everything: scheming politicians, rapacious bureaucrats and gossiping housewives' TIME
Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman (24 October 1921-26 January 2015) was born and educated in Mysore. His journey as a cartoonist started early, with contributions to college magazines, his brother R.K. Narayan's books, publications such as Koravanji, and also Gemini Studio. After graduation, he joined Blitz in Mumbai, then the Free Press Journal and, six months later, Times of India, where he enjoyed a long and prolific career. His contributions to various institutions and organizations were on social issues and specific subjects. He created India's most beloved and iconic cartoon character, 'The Common Man'. Laxman wrote and published several short stories, essays and travel articles, some of which were published in the books Idle Hours and The Distorted Mirror. He also wrote two novels, The Hotel Riviera and The Messenger, and a work of fiction, Servants of India, all published by Penguin Books. The Tunnel of Time, Laxman's autobiography, is also available from Penguin Books, as are several collections of his cartoons in the 'Common Man' series and Laugh with Laxman. R.K. Laxman was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1973 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2005. The universities of Mysore, Marathwada and Delhi conferred honorary Doctor of Literature degrees on him. He was recognized with many awards, including Asia's top journalism award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, in 1984, and CNN IBN TV18's Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism in 2008, among others. To continue Laxman's legacy, in 2017, his only granddaughter, Rimanika Laxman, launched "The Common Woman', conceptualized as the granddaughter of "The Common Man'. In 2018, his daughter-in-law Usha Srinivas Laxman published a book on him titled Timeless Laxman. His family have also created an animated version of "The Common Man'.
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Visual Search
Manage Wishlist